Overview

• The Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office has formally charged the 34-year-old with impersonating a public official (Amtsanmaßung).
• Investigators allege he showed his old fire department ID with parts obscured by hand to simulate a police badge.
• He is accused of pulling a pocket knife from his pocket and claiming it was his service weapon.
• The two street performers refused to comply and called genuine officers, leading to his immediate arrest.
• The case highlights gaps in credential verification and underscores the need for protocols to prevent authority misuse.