Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen attacked in Copenhagen

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederisksen was assaulted by a man in Kultorvet, Copenhagen on Friday evening, (7 May).

“Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was beaten on Friday evening at Kultorvet (Red Square) in Copenhagen by a man who was subsequently arrested. The Prime Minister is shocked by the incident,” her office said in a statement without giving further detail.

Fortunately, there were no outward signs of harm, a local resident told Reuters.

Police said on social media platform X they had arrested a man and were investigating the incident but declined to give further detail.

“She seemed a little stressed,” Soren Kjergaard, who works as a barista on the square, told Reuters after seeing the prime minister being escorted away by security following the assault.

The assault comes two days before Danes head to the polls in the EU election. Three weeks ago, Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico was seriously injured in an assassination attempt.

Danish Minister of Environment 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.”

European Leaders Condemn Attack

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola on X voiced her shock and support for Frederiksen, urging her to keep strong.

President of the European Council President Charles Michel also condemned the attack  saying his thoughts were with the the prime minister and her family.

The S&D group of the European Parliament, who has members from Frederiksen’s Social Democrats party, voiced their shock on X, saying they were standing  with her and the Danish people in solidarity.

They further added, “acts of violence are always an attack against democracy. We will not be intimidated.”

The attack on the Danish prime minister is part of a troubling number of politically motivated attacks on politicians, during this European Election campaign period.

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