Unwanted Hug Lands Man in Legal Trouble for Approaching Chancellor Scholz

A German court fined a man for illegally joining a VIP convoy to embrace Chancellor Olaf Scholz at Frankfurt Airport. The man received a €4,500 fine and a driving ban for endangering traffic and trespassing. Under the influence of drugs, he was deemed partially responsible and apologized in court.

A German court has imposed a €4,500 fine and a two-and-a-half-year driving ban on a man who infiltrated a VIP convoy to embrace Chancellor Olaf Scholz at Frankfurt Airport. The incident, which occurred amid celebrations for the 25th anniversary of the European Central Bank, sparked a security review, although Chancellor Scholz remained unharmed.

The German news agency dpa reported that the 50-year-old defendant, whose name remains undisclosed due to privacy regulations, faced charges for endangering road traffic and trespassing. The court found him partially responsible due to drug influence, and the man issued an apology during proceedings.

The episode, however, coincides with the end of Scholz's tenure. The German parliament plans to convene on May 6 to appoint Friedrich Merz as the new leader, pending coalition agreement approvals.

(With inputs from agencies.)