A German court has fined a man for sneaking into Chancellor Olaf Scholz's VIP motorcade in 2023 and hugging him as he prepared to take off at Frankfurt Airport, German news agency dpa reports.
The court said on Tuesday that the 50-year-old man was fined 4,500 euros and had his driving licence suspended for two and a half years for endangering traffic and trespassing.
The name of the accused was not disclosed in accordance with confidentiality rules in Germany.
The hug prompted an investigation into the chancellor's security, although Mr Scholz himself was not harmed.
It happened as Mr Scholz was returning to Berlin after celebrating the 25th anniversary of the European Central Bank.
The chancellor's spokesman, Wolfgang Büchner, told reporters at the time that the German leader “did not feel threatened in any way.”
According to dpa reports, the accused was under the influence of drugs and was found only partially responsible for his actions.
The man apologized in the courtroom.
Mr Scholz's days as chancellor are drawing to an end.
The German parliament meets on May 6 to elect Friedrich Merz as the country's new leader if all parties in his proposed government approve the coalition agreement reached last week.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
