'No evidence' of attack on AfD leader Chrupalla, police say

German prosecutors and police said on Thursday there was "no evidence" to suggest there was an attack on Alternative for Germany (AfD) co-leader Tino Chrupalla, despite initial comments from the far-right party.

The statement comes after confusion and speculation over what caused Chrupalla to be rushed to hospital in the Bavarian city of Ingolstadt following a campaign event on Wednesday.

AfD officials initially indicated that Chrupalla was involved in a "violent incident" during the rally in the southern German state of Bavaria — which is holding elections on Sunday. 

The party said Chrupalla left the hospital in Ingolstadt later on Thursday and would continue to receive medical treatment. 

What is the latest on the investigation?

The public prosecutor's office in Ingolstadt, where the AfD campaign rally took place, and local police released an update on investigations in a statement.

"At this time, there is no evidence that Mr. Chrupalla was tackled or attacked," authorities said.

According to the statement, Chrupalla had been taking selfies with several people at the event, where some body contact was involved.

While making his way to the stage to hold a speech, he began to feel pain in his upper arm.

Chrupalla also reported other health problems, leading him to be taken to the hospital in Ingolstadt.

He was found to have "a surface-level redness on his arm as well as swelling," according to the statement. 

The medical examinations carried out so far have not returned anything suspicious, authorities said.

The statement added that police interviewed Chrupalla, his bodyguard, an event organizer and other campaign rally attendees.

Further investigations are still ongoing, authorities added.

The public prosecutor's office in Ingolstadt launched a preliminary investigation into the matter on suspicion of bodily harm.

Earlier on Thursday, a spokesperson for the prosecutor's office told public broadcaster ARD that it is standard procedure to open investigations if there is a possibility that a criminal act took place.

What did the AfD say?

AfD officials said on Thursday morning that Chrupalla was in intensive care but remained responsive while receiving treatment. 

An AfD party spokesperson said on Thursday that Chrupalla had a "puncture wound" and was being medically assessed to determine whether there were potential "substances in his body."

Sources close to the AfD leader told public broadcaster ARD that Chrupalla collapsed at the event in Ingolstadt, was extremely unwell and had difficulty walking.

Police did not find any medical needles or similar objects from the scene, local public broadcaster Bayerische Rundfunk (BR) reported.

Authorities told BR that they found two push-pins but added that these are "not unusual" in an area where campaign rallies have been held in recent days.

Authorities also said that Chrupalla's personal security team did not witness any physical assault or attack on the AfD co-leader.

Who is Tino Chrupalla?

Chrupalla took over as one of the co-heads of the far-right and anti-immigration AfD in 2019.

He was most recently reelected to the post, alongside fellow co-chair Alice Weidel, in June last year.

Weidel herself recently called off an appearance on German Unity Day due to "security concerns."

The party has steadily drifted further to the right in recent years. While its popularity has ebbed and flowed, the AfD is currently seeing a rise in support — particularly as the debate over migration is a top topic in Germany once again.

The AfD is slated to score gains in state parliamentary elections in Bavaria and the central state of Hesse on Sunday, although many other major parties have ruled out working with the far-right.

rs/sms (dpa, AFP)

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