Man jailed for 30 days after throwing snowballs at police
A man in Norway has been jailed for 30 days after he threw snowballs at police.
The 21-year-old reportedly began throwing the snowballs at police officers as they responded to reports of an out-of-control house party in the southwestern city of Bergen.
The incident occurred in April 2017 when police asked partygoers to leave the house, but were instead met with a barrage of stones, plant pots and snowballs.
‘Violence against officers is a serious offence and is illegal. It is possible to issue fines in less serious circumstances, but in this case we are past that’, police attorney Kjetil Linge Tomren reportedly said.
The incident comes after similar scenes in the UK, when snowfall prompted police to warn that throwing snowballs could be classed as anti-social behaviour.
‘No one wants to prevent youngsters having a good time enjoying the snowy weather but there is a point where fun stops and danger begins’, Inspector Paul Johnson said at the time.
‘Pelting people with snowballs can be counted as anti-social behaviour and can result in a prosecution.’
Describing the scenes in Bergen, lead responding officer Jon Endre Skeie added: ‘Never before have I seen brawling of this nature at a party.’
The 21-year-old initially denied the charges after he was accused of throwing snowballs and biting a policeman during the incident.
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‘What happened is not something I would usually do. The intention was not to hurt anyone, just to get away from the police’, he said.
Although throwing snowballs in the UK is not an offence, it could be technically classed as a crime if it crosses over into gross bodily harm.
