German politician detained after multiple reports of Nazi salutes

A German politician from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has been arrested for allegedly displaying Nazi symbols. Daniel Halemba, 22, who was elected to the Bavarian parliament earlier this month, was taken into custody after police raided the headquarters of the student fraternity "Tuetonia Prag" and discovered several Nazi symbols. The arrest took place just hours before Halemba was due to gain immunity as a Member of Parliament. On a previous occasion, police had already searched the fraternity's premises following complaints from neighbors about hearing the phrase "Sieg Heil" (a key Nazi slogan) being shouted from inside. Banned material was found during that raid, confirming the neighbors' allegations. Halemba now faces charges of sedition and possession of banned symbols. Nazi iconography is illegal in Germany. The AfD, a far-right party, achieved its best-ever election result in Bavaria, where it is now the largest opposition party in the state. The party has been accused of having politically motivated prosecutions, but Halemba's lawyer denies the allegations. The AfD has been gaining popularity, ranking third in the recent Bavarian election and second in the state of Hesse, and regularly polls second nationwide. Germany's next federal election is scheduled for 2025.