Public Violation of Shabbos

I heard recently the following:

Someone who desecrates the Shabbos in a non-Orthodox or non-Jewish neighborhood doesn’t have the classification of a “m’chalel Shabbos b’farhesia” (someone who desecrates the Shabbos in an open, public fashion.)

Are there any achronim/poskim that said this or that speak about this (one way or the other).

Answer:

A person is only considered mechalal Shabbos befarhesia if he is prepared to do so even in front of a great person (see Mishnah Berurah 385:6).

However, this will not necessarily have implications concerning somebody living in a non-frum environment; it is more of a personal question — is he prepared to violate Shabbos in front of a great person or not.

Yet, there is logic to the idea mentioned in the question: The idea of publicly violating Shabbos is that a person is so brazen as to violate Shabbos where all can see him. If he does this in a non-Jewish neighborhood, the act will not be more severe than doing so at home.

After searching I found that the Maharshag (Vol. 2, no. 43) states the principle; see also Yabia Omer Vol. 1, Yoreh De’ah, no. 11, sec. 18, in footnote.

Best wishes.