39-year-old man sentenced to four months in prison for assaulting Danish prime minister
The man, whose name cannot be mentioned in Danish media, has lived in Denmark for five years. According to the ruling, he must leave the country after serving his sentence and is barred from re-entering for a period of six years. The 39-year-old, through his lawyer, stated that he accepts the ruling.
The 46-year-old Frederiksen was attacked on a square in the Danish capital Copenhagen on June 7. The suspected attacker was arrested immediately after the incident and remanded in custody. The prime minister suffered a bruise on her right shoulder and a mild whiplash injury, according to her office at the time.
During the two-day trial, the defendant denied any responsibility for the attack. He claimed to remember standing in front of the prime minister but not making physical contact with her.
The Pole attributed his memory lapses to previous alcohol consumption and the surprise of suddenly facing the prime minister. He also mentioned that he had been having a "bad" day.
Prime Minister Frederiksen was not called as a witness by either the prosecution or the defense during the trial. Instead, her two bodyguards testified on Tuesday.
Frederiksen has been at the helm of the Danish government for five years. In 2019, she became the youngest prime minister in the history of the country. In the November 2022 election, her Social Democrats were once again the strongest force. The attack on the social democratic politician was sharply condemned internationally.
Despite the attack being a topic of international condemnation, the man who lived in Denmark for five years, known only as 'Other', was not implicated in any way. Regardless of this ongoing incident, 'Other' must adhere to the ruling and leave Denmark, prohibited from re-entry for six years.
