Nobody from the circle of Greens wants to openly question the political future of Hans Urban after his conviction on Monday. Spokesman Andreas Wild is clear in his assessment: “There is a different way of being clever,” he commented on Tuesday about the behavior of the Oberherrnhauser Green member of the Landtag, Urban. At the beginning of the week, the Wolfratshausen district court found the 43-year-old politician guilty of false suspicion and coercion. With the fine of 70 daily rates of 150 euros, Urban would not have a criminal record. However, the judgment is not yet final.
With his colleague Jovana von Beckerath, colleague of the Greens, Andreas Wild agrees not to comment on court decisions in principle. He admits, however, that the verdict is of little help in the current federal election campaign. With this, Wild, as he himself expressly emphasizes, in no way wants to devalue Urban’s political work. “Maybe it was an affect story in a particular situation,” he says.
The incident with a Google camera car, which has now led to the public trial of Urban, was almost two years ago. In October 2019, a Google driver turned on a pebbled private road at the farm of the organic farmer and state and local politician Urban. The 43-year-old stood in the way of the car and filed a complaint with the police for assault because, in his opinion, he should have been knocked over several times. In the opinion of the public prosecutor and the court, this was only faked. This was also supported by two reports in the process.
For Green district spokesman Wild, the judgment does not affect political cooperation with Urban. “It’s not a scandal,” he says. Ultimately, the incident is a personal, not a political matter. He can continue to work well with Urban. After all, you have to see his commitment, which he has shown unbroken since the incident.
The Third District Administrator Klaus Koch (Greens) also sees no reason for Urban to resign from political functions. “For me, the subject is really over,” he says. “His political activity is in no way in question.” Together with Urban, Koch is active in the Eurasburg municipal council and in the district council. In the long run, the Third District Administrator believes that the incident with the Google car will not damage Urban’s political reputation. The judicial process has nothing to do with urban political activity. On that October day almost two years ago, his party colleague and his sons repaired a fence on his “deepest private property”. The Google car appeared there, although Urban had contradicted recordings from the map service long before.
Koch is pleased to have direct political access to the Bavarian state parliament with Urban. The third district administrator points out that the whole matter is stressful for him and his whole family. Urban has no previous conviction and is clearly convinced of his innocence himself. “I wish him the strength to leave that behind,” says Koch.
In the meantime, it remains to be seen whether Urban will appeal the decision of the Wolfratshausen district court. The member of the state parliament would have time until next Monday. Urban himself does not comment on this. And his defense attorney Andreas Hofreiter asks for understanding not to give any press statements at the moment. “My client has to digest it first,” he says.