麻豆传媒映画

The on Wednesday November 20, at the Gare Matabiau.

A commuter in his thirties entered the train station to take a train home. Before boarding a train, he visited a cash machine in the station to take out some money.

While there, he was approached by a woman with a baby in her arms, who asked him if she could buy her something to eat, according to reports by local news source . The man said that he didn鈥檛 have any cash on him - hence his visiting the ATM - but instead checked his pockets for change. He found 70 cents.

At this moment, two members of the railway security staff approached, explaining that begging is forbidden in train stations, and that if the man gave the coins to the woman, he would be acting illegally.

: 鈥淚 replied [to the staff] that the woman had not directly asked me for money. He replied that if I gave her the coins that I had in my hand, I would be liable for a contravention. It was so ridiculous that I thought he could not be serious, and I dropped the 70 centimes from my hand into the woman鈥檚 hand.鈥�

At this point, staff issued the man a fine of 鈧�100, and cited the transport legal code, which outlaws 鈥渟olicitation of all kinds鈥�. SNCF initially said: 鈥淲e cannot encourage begging in the station. Begging is forbidden in all public places by law, and by several decrees.鈥�

But after further outcry, SNCF later admitted the 鈥渃lumsiness鈥� of its staff, and said that this incident had 鈥済one too far鈥�.

In a statement : 鈥淲e are trying to contact the individual [man]. The fine will of course be cancelled.

It said: 鈥淭he Gare Matabiau is a special case. There are many beggars, and we put up signs to let passengers know that they should not give money, so as to not encourage begging. Begging can also cause people to feel unsafe.

鈥淏ut [in this case] the attitude of these staff and the station police was clumsy.鈥�