Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen experiences minor injuries in Copenhagen's assault.
Mette Frederiksen was rushed to the hospital following a recent attack, as revealed by her office. Her upcoming appointments for Saturday have been cancelled.
The perpetrator will be grilled by a judge in Copenhagen this Saturday, according to police's online service X. This hearing is set to start at 1:00 PM.
The incident took place in a central square of the Danish capital on Friday night. A pair of eyewitnesses told the newspaper BT that they spotted Frederiksen there at around 6:00 PM, seated close by. Out of nowhere, a man marched towards them and aggressively shoved them against their shoulders, causing them to tumble onto the ground.
Frederiksen, however, remained standing. She immediately sat down at a nearby café, the witnesses reported. Fleeing was the next best option for the man, but he didn't get too far before a group of individuals in suits caught up with him and pushed him down.
The attack on Mette Frederiksen stunned political leaders across the EU. EU Council President Charles Michel firmly opposed the "courageous act of violence" in a statement. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen deemed it an "offensive" act that goes against "what we stand for and what we're fighting for in Europe." Meanwhile, EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola expressed her outrage, asserting that violence has no place in politics.
French President Emmanuel Macron harshly denounced the matter. He strongly criticized the attack and wished the Danish PM a swift recovery via X.
Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke of Denmark revealed how the attack affected Frederiksen's inner circle, "This isNT_8;_what_geometry:5;_should_happen_in_our attractive, secure, and free nation:"
Not too long ago, Slovak Republic's Prime Minister Robert Fico was gunned down and gravely injured after a cabinet meeting in Handlova in mid-May. He required not one but two surgeries.
Germany has also faced numerous harassment incidents against politicians. Matthias Ecke, an SPD European MP, got severely beaten in early May. The same alleged offenders had previously targeted a 28-year-old who was putting up posters for the Greens. Just a few days later, Senator for Economics and Technology Franziska Giffey (SPD) barely escaped unharmed in an attack in Berlin. CDU Bundestag member Roderich Kiesewetter suffered a minor injury in an incident at a campaign stand in Aalen, Baden-Württemberg last week.
Frederiksen has held the Denmark government reins for five years. In 2019, she acquired the title of the youngest Minister President in the country's history. Her Social Democrats triumphed again in November 2022 with the greatest crowd support.
The European elections in Denmark coincide with those in Germany and most other EU nations, occurring this Sunday.
Read also:
- Despite the recent attack on Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister is expected to participate in the EU elections taking place this Sunday in Denmark, Germany, and other EU nations.
- Following the attack, the Danish government, led by Head of government Mette Frederiksen, has been closely monitored by European leaders, with French President Emmanuel Macron expressing his concern and wishing her a swift recovery.
- The Danish Police are conducting an investigation into the assault on Frederiksen, which occurred in Copenhagen, the heart of Europe's Nordic member state.
- The attack on Mette Frederiksen has drawn criticism from EU leaders, with EU Council President Charles Michel condemning the act of violence and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen denouncing it as an offensive act against the values of the EU.
- The incident in Copenhagen has brought attention to the increasing trend of attacks on political leaders in Europe, with instances of violence and harassment against politicians in Germany, Slovak Republic, and other countries.
