Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen Assaulted in Copenhagen Square
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was attacked by a man in central Copenhagen on Friday evening, July 7, her office reported.
The 46-year-old Prime Minister was “shocked by the incident” in Kultorvet square, according to a statement released by her office.
The statement, provided to AFP news agency, noted that “Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was hit by a man Friday evening on Kultorvet in Copenhagen.
The man was subsequently arrested.” No additional details about the incident were disclosed in the statement.
Copenhagen police confirmed the arrest on X, formerly known as Twitter, stating that they were investigating the incident. They did not provide any information about the suspect’s identity or motive.
The assault occurred just two days before Denmark’s voting in the European Union parliamentary elections, set to conclude across the EU on Sunday.
Frederiksen had been actively campaigning alongside Christel Schaldemose, the lead candidate for the Social Democrats in the EU elections.
Eyewitnesses Marie Adrian and Anna Ravn recounted the event to the newspaper BT. They described seeing Frederiksen arrive at the square around 6 p.m. (16:00 GMT) when a man approached from the opposite direction and forcefully shoved her on the shoulder, causing her to stumble.
“It was a strong push, but she did not fall to the ground,” the witnesses said. Frederiksen then composed herself and sat down at a nearby café.
According to Adrian and Ravn, the assailant, described as tall and slim, tried to flee but was quickly apprehended by men in suits, believed to be part of the Prime Minister’s security detail.
Another witness, Kasper Jorgensen, told the newspaper Ekstra Bladet that he saw the man subdued on the ground, with one security officer restraining him by placing a knee on his back. Jorgensen described the suspect as appearing “confused and a little dazed” as he was being held.
Following the attack, Frederiksen was escorted from the scene by her security team.
The assault drew swift condemnation from European leaders. European Council President Charles Michel expressed his outrage, while European Parliament President Roberta Metsola urged Frederiksen to “stay strong” and emphasized that “violence has no place in politics.”
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen denounced the act as “despicable” and contrary to European values. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson added that “an attack on a democratically elected leader is also an attack on our democracy.”
Mette Frederiksen became Denmark’s youngest Prime Minister in 2019 and secured her position after winning the 2022 general election.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen Assaulted in Copenhagen Square
