Delivery driver told St. Nick costume violates religious freedom

HERNE, Germany, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- German police said they received a complaint from a resident who said a package deliveryman's St. Nicholas costume violated the recipient's religious freedom.

Detlev Gross, a delivery driver for package service DHL in Herne, said he has been dressing up for the Dec. 6 St. Nicholas Day for the past several years and he never received a complaint until this year when police told him a customer had called authorities alleging the costume was an affront to the customer's religious freedom, TheLocal.de reported Tuesday.

Police confirmed officers asked Gross to change back into his DHL uniform. They said the driver was not threatened with any legal consequences.

"We don't have anything against Nicholases, only if they carry out crimes. But delivering packages certainly would not count," a police spokesman said.

Gross said he was upset to have his tradition interrupted.

"I was so annoyed. We are big fans of our friendly package delivery service -- the best in Herne -- and infuriated by this case," he said.