Police arrest a man and open an investigation into the incident in Kultorvet Square that left the prime minister “shocked”.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was “beaten” by a man in central Copenhagen, her office said.
The 46-year-old man was “shocked by the incident” that occurred on Friday night in the capital's Kultorvet Square, the office said in a statement, without providing further details.
“Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was run over by a man on Friday night in Kultorvet, Copenhagen. The man was later arrested,” the statement added, according to the AFP news agency.
Copenhagen police also said in X that one person had been arrested and that they were investigating the incident, but did not give details about the identity of the suspect or a possible motive.
It was unclear in what context the attack occurred, but it came two days before Danes went to the polls to vote in the European Union parliamentary elections, which conclude across the bloc on Sunday. Frederiksen has been campaigning with the Social Democrats' leading EU candidate, Christel Schaldemose. Media reports said the attack was not related to a campaign event.
'Strong push'
Two witnesses, Marie Adrian and Anna Ravn, told BT newspaper that they had seen Frederiksen arrive at the square while sitting next to a nearby fountain shortly before 6:00 p.m. (16:00 GMT).
“A man passed by in the opposite direction and gave her a strong push on the shoulder, causing her to fall to the side,” the women told the newspaper.
They added that although it was a “strong push,” Frederiksen did not fall to the ground.
According to witnesses, the Prime Minister then sat down in a nearby cafe. They described the man as tall and thin, and said he had tried to walk away quickly but he had not gotten very far when men in suits grabbed him and pushed him to the ground.
Another witness, Kasper Jorgensen, told the newspaper Ekstra Bladet that he had seen the man after he was knocked to the ground and said that one of those he presumed to be part of the security service had put a knee on his back.
“They had pacified him and, as he lay there, he seemed confused and a little dazed,” Jorgensen told the newspaper.
A resident told Reuters news agency that Frederiksen was escorted away by security after the assault.
“She seemed a little stressed,” said Soren Kjergaard, who works as a barista in the plaza.
'Despicable act'
News of the attack was met with shock and condemnation by politicians across the political spectrum within Denmark and abroad.
European Council President Charles Michel said he was “outraged by the attack,” while European Parliament President Roberta Metsola urged Frederiksen to “stay strong,” adding in a post on takes place in politics.”
EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen also condemned what she called a “despicable act that goes against everything we believe in and fight for in Europe,” in a statement on social media.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated that “an attack on a democratically elected leader is also an attack on our democracy.”
In 2019, Frederiksen became Denmark's youngest prime minister and remained in office after emerging victorious in the 2022 general election.
“I must say that this shakes all of us who are close to her,” Danish Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke said on social media. “Something like this should not happen in our beautiful, safe, free country.”
Violence against politicians has become an issue in the run-up to the EU elections. In May, a candidate for the German Social Democrats was beaten and seriously injured while campaigning for a seat in the European Parliament.
In Slovakia, the election campaign was overshadowed by an attempt to assassinate Prime Minister Robert Fico on May 15, sending shockwaves across the country and Europe.
