An unusual incident in Merida has captured public attention, as a police officer began arguing with a man who was dressed as Optimus Prime, one of the main characters of the Transformers saga.
Without removing his suit, the man defended his right to be in the Parque la Mejorada, arguing that he was not profiting from his suit, he was simply taking photos with people and accepted any cooperation they gave him, but it was not mandatory.
This incident has generated controversy and has led the Municipal Police of Merida to start an internal investigation into the behavior of the agent involved.
The video shows the officer asking the person in the costume to present permits from the City Hall to carry out his activity, even though, according to reports, the agents do not have the authority to demand such documents. The person in the costume, who was taking photos with children in exchange for a tip, argued that in other municipalities in Mexico he had not faced similar problems with the authorities.
The Municipal Police of Mérida has issued a statement clarifying that it does not support the officer’s actions and has referred the case to the Internal Affairs area for analysis in accordance with the “Professional Police Career Service Regulations for the Municipality of Mérida, Yucatán.” Depending on the outcome of this investigation, the case will be presented to the Commission of Honor and Justice and Professional Police Career Service to determine the actions to be taken regarding the officer identified with the initials W.P.B.
The incident has generated mixed reactions among the citizens present in the park, some of whom defended the costumed character and criticized the attitude of the police officer; however, there were also people who judged the presence of someone making noise and asking for cooperation in a public square, in addition to defending the police officer for having done his job and trying to preserve order.
The situation has highlighted the need to clarify the powers of officers in similar situations and has led the local police to reiterate its commitment to security and order in the city. For the moment, it is known that a report was issued against the officer.
The person dressed as Optimus Prime stressed that the application for permits should be handled by the Trade or Entertainment department of the City Council, not by the police. This case has sparked a debate on the regulation of recreational activities in public spaces and the role of law enforcement in their supervision.
Source: infobae
