The Spanish woman who was fined €800 for putting a picture of a police car on Facebook has seen that fine scrapped.
The photo showed a police car parked illegally in a disabled parking bay in Alicante.
The police were quick to pounce; they filed a complaint against her saying that the photo contravened new legislation known as the Citizens Security Law.
They told the media that the officers were engaged in catching vandals in a nearby park.
But the local government in Alicante has now said that it had "nothing to do with the Citizens Security Law, it was just a picture of a vehicle that was published". They also dropped the fine.
The new law, often referred to as the “gag law”, forbids unauthorised use of images of police. Breaking this provision can result in hefty financial punishments, with fines starting at €600 and rising to as much as €30,000.
The legislation, which entered force on 1 July, also allows stiff fines for protests outside parliament and other government or strategic buildings, such as nuclear power stations.
Amnesty International and others have criticised the government for reducing fundamental rights including the right to freedom of speech and assembly.
Some have said it smacks of the times when the dictator General Franco ruled with an iron fist.
