A group of Spanish travellers which had decided the parking lot of a rural hotel in West Iceland was a public toilet were forced to clean up their toilet paper by police officers.
Read more: Should visitors be required to produce documentation proving that they are toilet-trained?
Many Icelanders have taken to social media to applaud the unusual manner in which West Iceland Police dealt with problem. Recent news of non-toilet trained adults who seem to think normal rules of civilized society do not apply while travelling in Iceland has ignited a debate about how best to deal with situations like these.
Parking lots are not public lavatories
According to a Facebook post by the Police in West Iceland officers were on regular patrol on the Ring Road 1 between the towns of Akranes and Borgarnes when they spotted a group of young women squatting in the parking lot of Hotel Laxárbakki, apparently peeing. The officers decided to investigate the incidence, as public urination is illegal.
As the officers turned their car around the young women had gotten into their cars, and were about to drive off. The officers stopped the travellers, who turned out to be Spanish, and explained to them that their actions violated the law and common decency. Police in West Iceland describes how the officers dealt with the offenders on Facebook:
The travellers were made aware of the fact that their behaviour was not ok, and that Icelanders would not behave in this manner when they visited the travellers' home country.
Forced to clean up after themselves
Rather than fine the young women or arrest them the officers decided to have them clean up after themselves by picking up the toilet paper they had used:
Since the wind was blowing they had to chase the wet toilet paper around the parking lot. The officers did not allow the offenders leave the scene before they had cleaned up all the evidence.
A group of Spanish travellers which had decided the parking lot of a rural hotel in West Iceland was a public toilet were forced to clean up their toilet paper by police officers.
Read more: Should visitors be required to produce documentation proving that they are toilet-trained?
Many Icelanders have taken to social media to applaud the unusual manner in which West Iceland Police dealt with problem. Recent news of non-toilet trained adults who seem to think normal rules of civilized society do not apply while travelling in Iceland has ignited a debate about how best to deal with situations like these.
Parking lots are not public lavatories
According to a Facebook post by the Police in West Iceland officers were on regular patrol on the Ring Road 1 between the towns of Akranes and Borgarnes when they spotted a group of young women squatting in the parking lot of Hotel Laxárbakki, apparently peeing. The officers decided to investigate the incidence, as public urination is illegal.
As the officers turned their car around the young women had gotten into their cars, and were about to drive off. The officers stopped the travellers, who turned out to be Spanish, and explained to them that their actions violated the law and common decency. Police in West Iceland describes how the officers dealt with the offenders on Facebook:
The travellers were made aware of the fact that their behaviour was not ok, and that Icelanders would not behave in this manner when they visited the travellers' home country.
Forced to clean up after themselves
Rather than fine the young women or arrest them the officers decided to have them clean up after themselves by picking up the toilet paper they had used:
Since the wind was blowing they had to chase the wet toilet paper around the parking lot. The officers did not allow the offenders leave the scene before they had cleaned up all the evidence.
