- author, George Wright
- Role, BBC News
-
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is said to have been left “shocked” after being hit by a man while walking in central Copenhagen.
The attack took place in a square in the city’s old town, when a man approached the politician and beat her.
The attacker was quickly arrested, but there is no information yet on the motive.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described what happened as “a despicable act that goes against everything we believe in and fight for in Europe.”
Two witnesses – Marie Adrian and Anna Raven – described the assault to local newspaper BT, saying: “A man came in the opposite direction and hit her hard on the shoulder, causing her to fall to the side.”
They said that although it was a “hard push”, the Prime Minister did not hit the ground and that she sat in a nearby cafe to recover.
Mette Frederiksen’s office said the incident left the politician “shocked.”
The attack comes two days before Denmark votes in the European Union elections.
Frederiksen, leader of the Social Democratic Party in Denmark, had previously participated in a European election event with her party’s main candidate, Christel Schaldmus.
The Social Democratic Party is the largest party in the coalition government in Denmark. They still lead in opinion polls, but their support has declined significantly in recent months.
Danish Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke said on Channel X: “Mette is naturally shocked by the attack. I must say it shakes all of us close to her.”
EU President Charles Michel said on Channel X that he was “angry”.
“I strongly condemn this cowardly act of aggression,” he said.
Frederiksen, 46, became prime minister in 2019 after taking over as leader of the centre-left Social Democrats four years earlier. This made her the youngest prime minister in Danish history.
Trump called her “bad” after she rejected this land deal proposal as “ridiculous.”
