MONTRAEL (NBC) — A man in a “free hugs” t-shirt was handed a $101 fine after he was stopped for offering the friendly gesture to people at a Montreal subway station.
Tommy Boucher was wearing a green t-shirt with the words “free hugs” written on it in English and French and embracing people at subway stations around the city for the past year.
Last week, he said a transit officer asked him to show a permit for his activity.
He didn’t have a permit, so Boucher said the officer flipped through his bylaw booklet until he figured out the way to fine him..
According to Montreal transit regulations, “soliciting” services without permission is illegal.
The city’s transportation authority later withdrew the fine and issued a warning instead.
But Boucher is still warned to stop offering free hugs in the subway system.