Bad Lobenstein (dpa/th) – After the argument between the mayor of Bad Lobenstein, Thomas Weigelt, and a journalist, the police are looking for witnesses. Anyone who can provide information about the fisticuffs in which the reporter fell and was slightly injured should report to the investigating criminal police in Saalfeld, the police said on Friday. There may be more image or video material from visitors to the market festival last weekend.
The independent local politician attacked a newspaper reporter at the weekend. In a short video sequence on Twitter you can see how Weigelt approaches the local journalist’s camera with his hand outstretched and grabs it – then the image blurs, the lens points towards the ground. The journalist then filed a criminal complaint on suspicion of bodily harm. According to the mayor, he felt provoked by the journalist, but denies an attack.
The incident caused a nationwide sensation and was rated by media associations as an attack on press freedom. The mayor has so far rejected calls for his resignation.
