Having your cake, but not eating it.
Hurling confectionery still seems to be all the rage on the Continent, and a Norwegian who lobbed a layer cake at his Finance Minister has just seen his appeal go to Norway's supreme court and result in victory.
While I would not pretend to have an insider's knowledge of Norwegian law, it is a codified civil law system, and sticking my neck way out, I imagine has a law on assault and battery. However, the Norwegian powers that be decided to prosecute the cake flinger for the following: "violating Paragraph 99, hindering a cabinet member from carrying out their duty by the use of violence, threats or other illegal means". And for this the penalty was to be a stay at the Big House, as was threatened for the man who threw a raspberry tart at Ségolène Royal, although he ended up with a €150 fine.
The prosecution was thrown out because Waagaard (yes, 4 'a's) was deemed to have lacked the intent to delay the finance minister, although she had to shower, change etc. Back in the 80s when throwing eggs at cabinet ministers was all the rage, our politicians carried on regardless. I don't recall Prescott calling off his speech after he was egged by the Mullet Man of Rhyl either.
Meanwhile, a naughty Swede who launched a cream cake at the King of Sweden in 2001 was tackled by security goons and had his welfare enquired after by the King. Rather sadly, Carl Gustaf does not style himself 'med Guds Nåde Sveriges, Götes och Wendes Konung, Dei Gratia Suecorum, Gothorum et Vandalorum Rex' in the time honoured manner.
While I would not pretend to have an insider's knowledge of Norwegian law, it is a codified civil law system, and sticking my neck way out, I imagine has a law on assault and battery. However, the Norwegian powers that be decided to prosecute the cake flinger for the following: "violating Paragraph 99, hindering a cabinet member from carrying out their duty by the use of violence, threats or other illegal means". And for this the penalty was to be a stay at the Big House, as was threatened for the man who threw a raspberry tart at Ségolène Royal, although he ended up with a €150 fine.
The prosecution was thrown out because Waagaard (yes, 4 'a's) was deemed to have lacked the intent to delay the finance minister, although she had to shower, change etc. Back in the 80s when throwing eggs at cabinet ministers was all the rage, our politicians carried on regardless. I don't recall Prescott calling off his speech after he was egged by the Mullet Man of Rhyl either.
Meanwhile, a naughty Swede who launched a cream cake at the King of Sweden in 2001 was tackled by security goons and had his welfare enquired after by the King. Rather sadly, Carl Gustaf does not style himself 'med Guds Nåde Sveriges, Götes och Wendes Konung, Dei Gratia Suecorum, Gothorum et Vandalorum Rex' in the time honoured manner.
Labels: cake throwing, crime and punishment, Sweden
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on Friday, November 09, 2007 at 7:56 am.
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What sort of cake would one lob at Gordon Brown, then?
Oh, I see, that's enshrined in the new anti-terror laws...
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