Abuse of authority in the room

Trial farce about a police officer and parking

Parking problems at the Bullen-Arena even triggered a criminal trial(Bild: Andreas Tröster)

A visit to a Bundesliga match had legal repercussions for a police officer - accused of abuse of authority.

It couldn't have been more banal: in March 2023, an off-duty police officer took his son and nephew to a Bundesliga match at the Bullen-Arena near Salzburg. As there is traditionally a shortage of parking spaces there, he parks his car on a grass verge. Two gentlemen are outraged by this audacity. An argument ensues, during which the policeman pulls out his ID card and takes a photo of the man's passport.

Point of contention: Did the policeman simply put himself on duty?
After a few more words, everyone goes into the stadium - and now, more than a year later, they find themselves back in the Salzburg provincial court. The charge is abuse of authority. "I just made my opinion known and he said: 'I'm putting myself on duty, that's an official act. I would never show my passport to a private person," emphasized the witness. The defendant in uniform countered: "I didn't put myself on duty." And the public prosecutor simply says: "Everyone involved here felt like a police officer."

Acquittal! The court believed the witnesses with regard to the "official act", but there is no indication of the intent to cause harm required for a conviction. The verdict is already final.