I construed his statement as a refusal.

据我看他的说法就是拒绝。

youdao

Those who refused checks could be barred from the subway and further refusal to cooperate could incur penalties, the Beijing Mass Transit Railway Operation Co. Ltd said in a statement on its website.

拒绝接受物品安检的将禁止乘坐地铁，进一步不配合工作人员的将会得到处罚。

youdao

In a statement the authority said its refusal to sign the document would "in no way" prevent the school becoming an academy on 1 September.

BBC: Moorhead Primary School blames council for academy delay

Others are protesting the company's refusal to share additional information beyond a proxy statement it provided.

WSJ: Verde Sale Questioned