Canadian Man, Taoufik Moalla, was driving near his home in Montreal, when he was pulled over by the police. Was he speeding? No. Driving recklessly? No. Expired tags? No. The violation? Screaming in a public place.
When Taoufik pulled over and rolled down his car window, the police asked him for his identification and if he had been screaming.
“I said, ‘No, I was singing,'” Taoufik told the Montreal Gazette. “I was singing the refrain ‘Everybody Dance Now,’ but it wasn’t loud enough to disturb anyone.”
He was fined C$149 (US$118) for singing “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” by C + C Music Factory too loudly in his car.
In Montreal, “every one who not being in a dwelling-house, causes a disturbance in or near a public place, by screaming or shouting or singing is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction,” and is punishable with a $50-1,000 fine.
“I don’t know if my voice was very bad and that’s why I got the ticket, but I was very shocked,” Taoufik told CTV News. “I understand if they are doing their job, they are allowed to check if everything’s okay, if I kidnapped someone or if there’s danger inside but I would never expect they would give me a ticket for that.”
He is contesting the ticket.
[yarpp]
