In what came by as a rude shock to a specially abled man, he was arrested by two police constables on his birthday for signing because they mistook sign language as rude gestures in the United States.
Shaun Phuprate, 22, a man with a hearing impairment was wrongfully arrested when he was making the V-sign with his two fingers next to his ear which in the internationally recognised sign means for 'I am deaf'.
The policemen, who did not understand Phuprate's frantic signing, perceived it as rude gestures and bundled him into a patrol car along with his brother who tried to intervene.
Phuprate was eventually locked in a cell.
They had attempted to speak to Phuprate, who is deaf, after he forced a car to stop as he crossed a road in his home town of Sunderland while eating pizza.
However, the constables were heavily reprimanded for their absent mindedness by the magistrate and were ordered to release Phuprate immediately.
According to the Americam Sign Language, when you touch your finger on your cheek near your ear, then move your finger in a small arch and touch it near the mouth, it means, deaf, and proud of it.
This was too much to digest, really.
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