By The Smartencyclopedia Staff Writer with Agencies
Copenhagen, June 9 (AFP) – Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was reportedly “hit” by a man in a public square in Copenhagen on Friday evening, her office confirmed. The incident has quickly drawn condemnation from EU leaders.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s office, Frederiksen was “shocked by the incident,” but further details were not provided. “Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was hit by a man Friday evening on Kultorvet in Copenhagen. The man was subsequently arrested,” the statement read.
This troubling event follows a series of recent attacks on politicians across Europe, notably in the lead-up to the EU elections. Just last month, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot four times at close range as he greeted supporters after a government meeting in Handlova. Fico survived the assassination attempt and underwent two lengthy surgeries.
Eyewitnesses Marie Adrian and Anna Ravn, speaking to the newspaper BT, described seeing Frederiksen arriving at the square around 6:00 PM local time (1600 GMT). “A man came by in the opposite direction and gave her a hard shove on the shoulder, causing her to fall to the side,” they recounted. They noted that while the shove was strong, Frederiksen did not hit the ground.
Following the incident, Frederiksen reportedly sat down at a nearby café. The suspect, described by witnesses as tall and slim, attempted to flee but was quickly apprehended by men in suits, presumed to be part of the security detail. Another witness, Kasper Jorgensen, told Ekstra Bladet that the man appeared “confused and a little dazed” after being tackled.
EU leaders swiftly condemned the attack. European Council President Charles Michel expressed his outrage and called the act “cowardly” in a post on social media. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola urged Frederiksen to “keep strong” and stated that “violence has no place in politics.” EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen also condemned the attack, describing it as a “despicable act which goes against everything we believe and fight for in Europe.”
Copenhagen police confirmed the incident but did not provide additional details. “We have one person arrested in the case, which we are now investigating. At this time, we have no further comments or remarks on the case,” they said in a statement.
Danish Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke shared his concern on social media, stating, “Something like this must not happen in our beautiful, safe, and free country.”
Frederiksen, who became Denmark’s youngest prime minister in 2019, continues to serve in the role following her victory in the 2022 general election. The attack has prompted widespread calls for increased security measures for public officials amid rising tensions in Europe.