EU Parliament waives immunity of AfD lawmaker in shop theft case

The European Parliament on Thursday waived the immunity of German EU lawmaker Gunnar Beck from the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) in connection with allegations of shoplifting and resisting law enforcement officers.

A majority of the EU legislature voted to approve the request made by the public prosecutor's office in Dusseldorf in Germany. Further investigations against Beck may now proceed.

A report from the parliament's legal committee said that the German politician was under investigation for intentional bodily harm, resisting police and the theft of low-value items.

According to the report, Beck attempted to steal product samples from a department store in Neuss, Germany in October 2022. A criminal complaint of shoplifting was later filed.

Beck allegedly tried to leave the shop and was detained by store detectives. Police then intervened. Beck resisted the store's security personnel, the parliament report states, citing investigators in Germany.

The public prosecutor's office in Dusseldorf initially gave no further details when asked. Beck said the accusation were unfounded.

He told dpa that the case had been discontinued, but was then reopened for political reasons. "I look forward to a proper procedure," he said.

In 2022, Beck was fined €9,200 for misuse of an official title, after presenting himself as "a professor." He argued that he did not intend for his statement, "I am a professor and specialist lawyer in EU law in London" to imply that he had a formal professorship.