77-year-old Spaniard fined for playing Pokemon Go amid coronavirus lockdown

A 77-year-old man from Spain thought it was a good idea to walk around and hunt Pokemon at a time when the entire country is on lockdown.

Spain’s COVID-19 death toll surpassed China’s on Wednesday, with over 3,434 dead due to the virus. Spanish authorities announced a two-week nationwide lockdown on March 14, but it could extend further as the situation evolves.

In the middle of this ballooning crisis, the 77-year-old was reportedly (h/t CNET) out and about in the Latina district of Madrid on Sunday. When officers from the municipal police approached the man, he told them that he was “hunting Pokemons (sic),” possibly while playing popular mobile game Pokemon Go.

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Madrid police fined the man and tweeted a photo of his ticket on Monday. The tweet (translated) said: “Hunting Pokemon, dinosaurs, or any other magical creature is forbidden during the alarm state. Don’t make excuses.”

It seems the Spanish citizen isn’t the only one who wanted to catch ’em all. Last week, a 31-year-old man from Como, Italy was reportedly found roaming the streets with his daughter in search of Pokemon.

Meanwhile, Niantic — the maker of Pokemon Go — has urged players to stay at home during this pandemic. It has added multiple incentives and bonuses for playing the game from home, including the removal of a requirement to walk a certain number of steps. You can read Niantic’s coronavirus response here.

We hope none of you reading this article get any strange ideas like these. It isn’t safe to step out in public and being among large crowds is not advisable right now. Self isolation is the only way to keep yourself and others protected.

If you need some suggestions for stuff to do while you’re on lockdown, check out these articles below.