English Janitor Fired for Destroying Snowman Made by Children... "I Worked for the Community" Protest

"At that time, I thought the snowman was a hindrance," explanation

A sanitation worker approaching a snowman in front of a residential area in Herefordshire, England. / Photo by Internet Homepage Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Controversy erupted after a British sanitation worker was fired for kicking and destroying a snowman made by children.

According to the British media outlet 'The Sun' on the 28th of last month (local time), siblings Amelia and Joseph Taylor, who live in Herefordshire in western England, built a giant 2-meter-tall snowman in front of their house on the 24th of last month.

However, when the siblings returned two days later to check, the snowman was already severely damaged. When the siblings tearfully said the snowman was gone, their parents found the culprit who destroyed the snowman through closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage.

The culprit was a sanitation worker clearing snow in the area at the time, and it was confirmed that he destroyed the snowman while on duty. The footage shows the sanitation worker kicking the snowman before getting into a work vehicle and leaving the scene.

The siblings' father, Tim Taylor, said, "It's scary that someone would smash a snowman the kids worked hard to make like a punching bag." His wife also pointed out, "The kids usually liked the sanitation workers, but to do such a thing in front of the children is heartless."

Afterwards, the Taylors sent emails to the company the sanitation worker belonged to and to the Herefordshire Council. The company responded that "the sanitation workers involved were disciplined and excluded from collection duties." It is reported that the sanitation workers were subsequently fired.

However, the sanitation worker who lost his job strongly protested, saying, "Is it reasonable that destroying a snowman leads to such a big consequence?" He added, "At the time, I felt the snowman was an obstacle while working, and I was cleaning for the community." He also pointed out, "I sent an apology message to the family who made the snowman, but they did not accept my apology."

Following this, a petition was posted on the official website of Herefordshire Council requesting the reinstatement of the sanitation workers.

In response, the council stated, "The individual is a subcontractor employee and will not be rehired," adding, "We are deeply disappointed that this person, representing our council, was involved in such an incident."

They also added, "Going forward, workers contracted by Herefordshire Council will be required to meet appropriate professional standards."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.