A man has been fined by a Frankfurt court after he entered the motorcade of outgoing German chancellor Olaf Scholz and hugged him on an airport runway. The 50-year-old, who admitted to being under the influence of cocaine and sleep-deprived after two days of partying, mistakenly joined the convoy while driving on a public road.
He followed the motorcade into Frankfurt Airport, where Scholz was preparing to fly back to Berlin following a European Central Bank event. Once the convoy stopped, the man got out of his car, shook Scholz’s hand and gave him a hug before being detained by police.
In court, his lawyer said he had simply copied the behaviour of others around the chancellor. The court found him partially responsible and imposed a fine of €4,500 for driving under the influence and trespassing.
A spokesperson said Scholz never felt in danger, although the incident raised further concerns about security.
