Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen faced an unexpected attack while on campaign trail for European Parliament elections in Copenhagen. The prime minister was assaulted and beaten by a man at Kultorvet Square after participating in a rally with the lead candidate from her Social Democrats party, Christel Schaldemose. Following the incident, Frederiksen suffered light whiplash but remained in good condition, according to her office.
Despite being physically unharmed, the prime minister opted to cancel her remaining campaign events in the municipalities of Herlev and Rodovre within the broader Copenhagen area, as well as in Roskilde, Holbek, and Slagelse. This move comes amidst the European Parliament election which is taking place across the EU between June 6 and 9, with Denmark’s vote on Sunday.
As for the perpetrator of the attack, Copenhagen police have identified him as a 39-year-old Polish man who has since been placed in custody until June 20. During a court hearing, the suspect pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. Police investigations suggest that the man may have been under the influence of both drugs and alcohol at the time of the assault, which they described as an isolated, spontaneous act. Moreover, law enforcement officials have stated that there is no indication that the incident was politically motivated.
The European Parliament election, in which Denmark’s Social Democrats appear to be leading, according to Politico’s polling tracker, has experienced some incidents of violence recently. For instance, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot several times in mid-May while greeting his supporters in the central part of the country. The assailant, 71-year-old Juraj C., was arrested on the scene and strongly disagreed with some of Fico’s policies, including the decision to stop arms shipments to Ukraine. Fico has since been released from the hospital, stating that it would be a small miracle if he returns to work in several weeks.
The recent wave of violent attacks against political figures raises concerns about the safety and security of those in positions of power during election campaigns. It also highlights the importance of maintaining a level of decorum and respect when engaging with public officials, even in times of passionate debate over political issues.