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So my question is based in the scene where “Henryk” aka Magneto saves the life of one of the men in the steel factory. He moves the steel canister so it doesn’t fall and kill the man when the chain snaps. We know this already.

My question is why would somebody tell on him for using his powers to save that man's life?

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    Well the guy DID threaten a whole lot of other people. Maybe the snitch thought "he saved a guy, but killed many others, better not risk it". Or, you know, plain old racism.
    – Jenayah
    Commented May 22, 2018 at 17:17
  • Well my point was that if somebody saves somebody else you’d think they’d changed. And I wouldn’t want to tell because if he escaped which he did then he’d come back on me
    – K.Lanie
    Commented May 22, 2018 at 17:19
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    I agree with you, but that probably not everyone's case (in-universe) (but sadly, also out-of-universe). About retaliation, do we ever learn who snitched? I can't remember. In any case, this might fall under "everybody in the whole small town knows it overnight". Seriously, the less people there are the faster the info spreads, and you can't always trace it back to the source...
    – Jenayah
    Commented May 22, 2018 at 17:27
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    Maybe there was a reward out for what might be considered public enemy #1
    – Kai Qing
    Commented May 22, 2018 at 17:27
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    If I saw Bin Laden save somebody from death, still no way I would just think "ok, I'll go on working with him, seems a fine guy now."
    – Serge Seredenko
    Commented May 23, 2018 at 17:15

2 Answers 2

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It seems likely that the person who "snitched" on Magneto was this guy who saw him extend his hand and then look around suspiciously.

enter image description here

As to what motivated him to talk to the police, we can't really say but the general consensus seems to be that Magneto is a vicious murderer and would-be assassin of world leaders rather than a misunderstood advocate for mutant rights.

Police Chief: Nobody in this town really knows you.

Magneto: Yes you do. I am Henryk Gurszky. Jakob, I've had dinner in your home...

Jakob: And you were lying the whole time. I brought a killer into my house.

The news article held by the policeman talks about Magneto being an existential threat to the entire world.

enter image description here
"M-Day. 10 years Ago. The day on which which the mutants saved the world".

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    "The day on which mutants saved the world" and "an existential threat to the entire world" do not compute. Mistranslation?
    – muru
    Commented May 23, 2018 at 4:48
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    @muru - Magneto isn't the particular mutant that saved the world.
    – Valorum
    Commented May 23, 2018 at 5:52
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    @muru: Those two things are certainly not mutually exclusive. The Avengers saved the world more than once but there are entire MCU plotlines dedicated to the problem of controlling such a powerful force, a force which can and has presented an existential threat to the entire world by their actions. Closer to home, one might potentially argue that nuclear weapons "saved the world" (or at least brought an end to a potentially devastating war) but I think we can all agree they're not the safest things to have lying around.
    – Lightness Races in Orbit
    Commented May 23, 2018 at 11:03
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    @Lightness probably. But when you see a headline that says mutants saved the world (the headline is about all that's readable here, I think) and a photo prominently showing a mutant beneath it, but somebody then uses that article to claim that that mutant is an existential threat, you honestly wouldn't wonder if you're missing something?
    – muru
    Commented May 23, 2018 at 11:19
  • @muru: Maybe if I hadn't read the article
    – Lightness Races in Orbit
    Commented May 23, 2018 at 11:29
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I would like to give more context regarding why exactly the snitch would be so eager to come out with his knowledge of his workmate's superpowers.

At that moment of the movie (1983), the action's set in Polish People's Republic, time of great political turmoil - sort of Sturm und Drang moment. Workplaces were being infiltrated by intelligence and secret service, because those were the places where the first countrywide union (Solidarność) was emerging and building up its power. Instead, some folk saw it as an opportunity to gain financial advantage, as snitching was a paid hustle here back then.

So to answer your question: history and context made the man/snitch.

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    I thought your answer was amazing as well friend thank you for writing it hence I pressed the up button for you as well.
    – K.Lanie
    Commented May 22, 2018 at 22:40
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    The title asks who, but the question asks why. If the question is why, this should be the accepted answer.
    – dna
    Commented May 23, 2018 at 12:01
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    @dna - I'm not so sure. Does supposition (however well supported by background knowledge) trump what we actually see in the film?
    – Valorum
    Commented May 23, 2018 at 21:43

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