According to Swiss newspaper 20 Minuten, a young man named Orhan E. who lives in Schaffhausen, Switzerland and is a member of the Schaffhausen Turkish Culture Association was fined 150 Swiss Francs for shouting “Allahu Akbar” on the street.

The newspaper wrote that Schaffhausen Municipal Police fined Orhan E. 150 Swiss Francs for shouting “Allahu Akbar” on the street to a friend of his loudly and thus disturbing public peace and violating the police directorate.

Orhan E. spoke to the newspaper and said he was saluting his friend and argued that the phrase “Allahu Akbar” is commonly used among Muslims as a greeting and “when the weather is nice”.

The newspaper asked the Schaffhausen City Council Member for Security and Social Works Simon Stocker for comment, and Stocker said the police was sensitive in their reaction and the incident wasn’t just a simple greeting according to the police report. “Orhan E. could have objected instead of paying the fine immediately, he was notified of his right to object,” said Stocker and added that speaking the phrase “Allahu Akbar” isn’t banned in Schaffhausen, but authorities are mindful of what purpose the phrase is used for. Stocker stated that this is the first time anybody has ever been fined for such an incident.

The newspaper asked for comment from a MP who said the police made a rightful call and added: “Many terrorists chant “Allahu Akbar” before their acts. What the police did is a rightful call for the country’s safety. Shouting this phrase loudly on the street would clearly create fear in society and disrupt the peace.”