Security breach in Berlin parliament: refugee enters plenary chamber
A man stormed unauthorised into the Berlin plenary chamber on 2 July and disrupted the ongoing session. A multi-tool was found in his luggage upon his arrest.
Man enters ongoing session of Berlin parliament
According to Google News LU DE, a man stormed the Berlin House of Representatives on 2 July and entered the chamber during a plenary session in progress. The House of Representatives confirmed the incident on request. The state security division of the State Criminal Police Office has taken over the investigation due to a possible political background.
Investigation is being conducted, according to the Berlin House of Representatives, on suspicion of disrupting the activity of a legislative body, as well as on suspicion of assault.
Conspicuous behaviour on the visitors' gallery
The man received a regular visitor pass at the entrance and subsequently gained access to the visitors' gallery of the plenary chamber without prior notification. According to the Berlin newspaper "B.Z.", he spoke loudly there, gesticulated conspicuously and then left the gallery. Shortly afterwards, he stormed towards the plenary chamber, where 159 members of parliament were meeting at the time in question.
According to "B.Z.", the in-house security staff did not react quickly enough and called out "Help, help, someone wants to get in!". The man nevertheless entered the chamber and disrupted the session.
Interior senator's bodyguards intervened
Bodyguards of Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD) eventually overpowered the man and handed him over to the police. According to a spokesman for the House of Representatives, the man had appeared "neatly dressed" in a silver-grey suit and tie.
During the subsequent search of his belongings, officers found a so-called multi-tool in a piece of luggage that had been left at the cloakroom. Such devices typically have scissors, knife or saw functions. A police spokeswoman stated that the man was not carrying a weapon; "B.Z.", however, reported the presence of a knife.
Motive and identity
The police made no further statements about the man's motives, citing the ongoing investigation. According to information from "B.Z.", it is a refugee from Spandau who speaks German well. He told an officer: "I am angry at the government!"
Security measures tightened
It remains unclear how the man managed to bring the object into the building despite the security rules in place. Regulations provide that all bags are scanned at the entrance and all visitors are taken through a metal detector – journalists with press passes are not exempt from this either.
In response to the incident, which was initially kept secret, individual visitors to the parliamentary building in Berlin-Mitte are now only permitted to enter on plenary days following prior notification, until the end of the electoral term.
Source: Google News LU DE