German police recently thought that they had just another illegal fishing incident at the Havel River in Berlin when they stopped a man and demanded his license. The man immediately informed them that he had no license and continued to fish. When they told him it was illegal, he promptly identified himself as Si Hong Ri, North Korea’s ambassador to Germany and apologized. He then continued to fish. Si Hong Ri had no identification on him, so the police were forced to call for their office to produce a picture of the ambassador and then stood there as Si Hong Ri continued to fish with immunity and impunity.
Various countries, including our own, are constantly complaining about the use of diplomatic immunity to shield diplomats from liability. While this is often brazen traffic and driving violations, it can include more serious crimes.
While the Germans punish this offense with as much as two years in jail, the ambassador continued to fish before the policemen in mocking silence.
For its part, the North Korea press did report a notable occurrence in Berlin this week: the “natural wonder” of a small songbird landing on the entrance of the embassy and staying for an hour after the death of leader Kim Jong-il: “It seemed that upon hearing the sad news of the demise of the outstanding great man, the bird flew to the mourning station to express condolences and flew away after standing vigil.” That is right up there with snow in the winter as evidence that Nature is grieving the loss of the Dear One.
Next Si Hong Ri will go on North Korean television and proclaimed “I caught a fish THIS BIG after the Dear One died.” For an entire nation built on fish stories, it would be the perfect send off for the Dear One. After all, his parting gift to the nation he starved and oppressed was a truckload of fish.
Source: Spiegel
http://www.anyclip.com/movies/robin-hood-prince-of-thieves/ZwmF7YYuhbJmm/
(I actually think permits for fishing and hunting are good things and mespo outlined why.)
Mack, et al:
A hunting or fishing license is technically a permit to engage in the activity. You have to show the game warden that you have permission from the state to harvest game or fish.
Keep in mind that police set up driver’s license checkpoints where they want to see your license and proof of insurance. No suspicion of wrongdoing is required.
Lawyers, doctors and other professionals must keep their state licenses to practice in plain view, such as hanging on the wall of their office.
Norbrook,
That is the law in Illinois and Wisconsin too.
@MacK -“So if you are fishing, but breaking no other laws in the process, do you have to show the license?”
Yes, you are required to produce it on demand. In this state (and others I’ve been in) game wardens or rangers will conduct regular patrols, and they do ask to see your license. It’s a pretty good fine if you don’t have it.
Obligatory
The police, I would surmise, would be allowed, even expected, to stop the diplomat from illegally fishing by confiscating his fishing pole. Even though they couldn’t charge him with a criminal act, surely they are still obligated to prevent crimes in progress from occurring.
MacK:
“If you can name one good reason for an individual fishing license, please list it here.”
****************************
How about to:
-raise money for fish management;
-limit catches to insure viability of various overfished species;
-educate the fishing public about the need for conservation through public information;
We’re all missing the point of why is there such a thing as a “license to fish” for an individual!
If you can name one good reason for an individual fishing license, please list it here.
Is it presentable on demand like a drivers license? Technically you only present a drivers license when you have committed a driving offense, not from the act of driving itself. So if you are fishing, but breaking no other laws in the process, do you have to show the license?
Diplomacy is optional. Fishing is mandatory. In the North Korean embassy, if you don’t fish, you don’t eat.
Or “puny” in “impugnity.”
Well, that’s what immunity is, correct? The ability to not be held responsible for crimes that you commit. I never understood why diplomats are given immunity, but they are, so, deal with it, Germany. Otherwise, repeal the law that gives diplomats immunity.
That should be “rim shot”!
Where is the I’m shot?
North Korea!
Putting the bass back in ambassador!
A minnow of a case in my view.
North Korean ambassador caught abusing his diplomatic immunity? Well . . . you should have seen the one that got away!
I understand that they can’t prosecute for the crime, but I believe they could have prevented him from continuing to fish illegally.
Got to love the audacity. Is there another Diplomats son in the making?
Why must the government insist on arrest as the only option, and give up when forbidden by law from doing that? They could have jumped into the river and scared the fish away.
The first amendment forbids criminalizing dissent, but instead of making any attempt to meet the government’s legitimate needs in other ways, they prefer violate the law and to arrest the weak, which they can do because the weak do not have nuclear weapons like the man from North Korea had.
“For its part, the North Korea press did report a notable occurrence in Berlin this week: the “natural wonder” of a small songbird landing on the entrance of the embassy and staying for an hour after the death of leader Kim Jong-il”
Propaganda, obviously the N. Koreans are mere pikers at it … except at home of course.
Ongoing justification for the Afghanistan war is an example of propaganda in the major leagues.