Speaker admits breakdown
Man rides in Scholz convoy and hugs Chancellor
05/26/2023, 00:58
A massive security breach raises questions about Chancellor Scholz’s personal protection. On the way to Frankfurt Airport, a man with his car joins the head of government’s convoy. He even gets onto the runway. A “surprisingly warm hug” follows.
A driver illegally joined the convoy of Chancellor Olaf Scholz in his private car and hugged him after getting out without the bodyguards intervening in time. This is reported by the “Bild” newspaper. A government spokesman said on request: “I can essentially confirm the report.”
A spokeswoman for the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) told the newspaper: “No one was injured. The person was arrested by the Federal Police at Frankfurt Airport without resistance.” A statement from the federal police could not be obtained during the night.
According to the report, the incident occurred after Scholz was driven to the airport from the European Central Bank’s Frankfurt headquarters on Wednesday. The man’s car was therefore able to pass the security barrier of the airport together with the Chancellor’s convoy – despite the license plate not being registered. As the Chancellor exited his limousine on the tarmac, the driver of the car rushed up to Scholz, shook his hand and hugged him. Scholz let it happen, the newspaper described. It was only at this moment that the BKA bodyguards and police officers became aware of the potentially dangerous situation and arrested the man.
The “Bild” newspaper quoted chancellor’s office circles as saying: “For Olaf Scholz, it wasn’t a big incident in the specific situation, just a surprisingly warm hug. Looking back, it turns out everything that could have happened there.” Scholz’s BKA team admitted internally that such a situation should not occur again.