Diario Sur - Diario de Málaga. Noticias de Malaga

Secciones

Servicios

Destacamos

Borrar
The Interior minister, left, with his wrist tattoo on display.
Guardia Civil body tattoo ban halted as minister is found to have one too

Guardia Civil body tattoo ban halted as minister is found to have one too

Fernando Grande-Marlaska has put a stop to a growing controversy over plans to force officers to have them surgically removed

MELCHOR SÁIZ-PARDO

Friday, 7 September 2018, 15:30

The minister for the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, stepped in this week to end a controversy over tattoos within the Guardia Civil that threatened to cause chaos in the normally well-regimented force.

The minister ordered bosses to withdraw their plans to force all officers who have a tattoo visible when on duty, even when in short-sleeves in the summer, to have them surgically removed. The draft of the rules said they would have to be erased within three months.

There was outrage from the police service's unions when the toughened plans were announced. The anger was worsened as Grande-Malaska, the minister with overall responsibility for the Guardia Civil in the government, has a wrist tattoo himself, which he has been seen displaying on public occasions.

The minister's tattoo is a form of lucky charm bracelet on his right wrist and he would not have been allowed to join the Guardia Civil with it under the proposed rules, unions were quick to point out.

The new rules on tattoos, which the minister has decided to veto, also said that non-visible ones that expressed sentiments or ideas contrary to the values of the force were banned. It was the officers' own superiors who were to decide what was right and wrong.

Other designs of tattoo were to be allowed but couldn't be on display. If an officer didn't comply, the scrapped plan said they had to make a formal declaration and risk a fine.

For smaller, permitted tattoos, the force would have allowed them to be covered with skin-coloured bands or covers, or with something similar to a uniform's colour.

Besides tattoos, the new regulations hoped to control many other aspects; no piercings, nor rings nor expansions. Make up was of course forbidden as well. And no creative hairstyles, on men or women.

The document read, "[Hair] colour should be natural and if hair is dyed, this should match with natural colouring." Haircuts needed to be even and no stepped or graded trims. And no dreadlocks or similar were to be permitted.

The new set of rules has now been sent back to the drawing board following the Interior minister stepping in.

Publicidad

Top 50
  1. 1 Ronda to Marbella road expected to be totally out of action until at least August
  2. 2 A little-known treasure in the heart of Andalucía
  3. 3 Site confirmed for eastern Costa del Sol desalination plant
  4. 4 Costa del Sol town takes measures to tackle processionary caterpillar problem
  5. 5 Malaga all set for its leading role in Spanish-language film
  6. 6 Costa gets ready to welcome the Apostle of Ireland
  7. 7 Nerja athlete handed four-year doping ban
  8. 8 Malaga village fights depopulation with cash bonus for new parents
  9. 9 A lifelong passion for musical theatre
  10. 10 From Vanuatu to Benin: the most unusual nationalities living in Marbella

Publicidad

Publicidad

Publicidad

Esta funcionalidad es exclusiva para registrados.

Comentar es una ventaja exclusiva para registrados

¿Ya eres registrado?

Inicia sesión
Espacios grises

Reporta un error en esta noticia

* Campos obligatorios

Política de privacidad

surinenglish Guardia Civil body tattoo ban halted as minister is found to have one too