Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen walked away after an assault by a man in central Copenhagen on Friday and had no outward signs of harm, a local resident said. Reuters.
“Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was beaten on Friday afternoon in Copenhagen's Kultorvet (red square) by a man who was later arrested. “The prime minister is shocked by the incident,” her office said in a statement without giving further details.
All of the prime minister's official events on Saturday have been cancelled, her office added.
The attack occurred when the man approached the prime minister and hit her.
Frederiksen's office said the incident had left the prime minister “shaken” and suffering a minor whiplash injury.
“She seemed a little stressed,” said Soren Kjergaard, who works as a barista in the plaza. Reuters after watching security officers escort the prime minister after the assault.
Police said on social media platform X that they had arrested a man and were investigating the incident, but declined to give further details. Danish police said the 39-year-old attacker was sentenced to 12 days in prison.
Copenhagen police said they did not believe the man, who has denied any wrongdoing, was politically motivated in his actions.
“Since the accused has no connection with Denmark, there is a risk of flight,” the Copenhagen municipal court judge said as one of the reasons for the custodial sentence, according to broadcaster DR.
The attack comes two days before Danes go to the polls in the European Union elections.
Danish Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke said on X: “Mette is naturally shocked by the attack. I must say that it shakes all of us who are close to her.”
Several EU leaders condemned the incident, which occurred just three weeks after Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico was seriously injured in an assassination attempt.
“My good friend and Danish colleague Mette Frederiksen was attacked last night on the street in Copenhagen. “This is completely unacceptable and is an attack on our open and democratic societies,” Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told the news agency. BNA.
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, wrote in X: “I was very surprised by the news that you were attacked tonight. I condemn this despicable act that goes against everything we believe in and fight for in Europe. I wish you strength and courage; I know you have both in abundance.”
