A 48-year-old man, who is said only to have a Greek surname, joined the motorcade of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in a private car, and when the motorcade reached the runway at Frankfurt Airport, he managed to reach the chancellor and grab him with his hands. As “Bild” reports, the incident happened on Wednesday around 11 p.m., just a few moments before Scholz boarded the government plane.
Photo: Boris Grdanoski / Tanjug/AP
The chancellor just celebrated the 25th birthday of the European Central Bank (ECB) and left the ECB building with Finance Minister Christian Lindner, heading for the airport. They traveled in armored limousines, and Hesse state police officers in patrol cars and on motorcycles secured the government convoy. The chancellor’s bodyguards were sitting in two Scholz official cars.
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On the way, a private car suddenly appeared behind the last patrol car. At the wheel was a man who would later be claimed to have thought it was a big family wedding. The officers apparently did not notice the car, which was not part of the government convoy.
Security guards at Frankfurt Airport let him pass the barrier on his way to the runway, even though the number plate was not pre-announced like all the others.
The bodyguards reacted late
The convoy then proceeded to the Airbus A319 government aircraft. All members of the delegation – including Lindner – began to board the plane. Just not Scholz.
He made another public phone call in his car, which lasted several minutes. The chancellor was still guarded by bodyguards from the BKA and the Hessian police.
And then it happened…
Scholz got out of the limousine, wanting to thank the police and, as is often the case, take a photo as a souvenir.
At that moment, the man left his vehicle, suddenly rushed towards Scholz, shook his hand and pressed him to his chest. Only when the man released Scholz did the bodyguards recognize the dangerous situation.
Scholz took a picture with the policemen
At that moment, everyone realized that they did not know who the man was, so he was quickly arrested.
The chancellor’s office announced that “for Olaf Scholz, it was not a big incident in the specific situation, just a surprisingly warm hug. In retrospect, it becomes clear what could have happened.”
Scholz’s security team is contrite and admits: It must never happen again. And the chancellor?
He reacted rather coolly and then took a picture with the Hessian policemen.
(Telegraph, Bild)
