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Danish PM attacked in capital; assailant arrested

Saturday, 08 June 2024 11:01 AM [ Last Update: Saturday, 08 June 2024 11:01 AM ]

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen

Police have arrested a man in central Copenhagen for assaulting Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen who suffered minor injuries from the attack.

The attack occurred on Friday, and the extent of Frederiksen’s injuries caused by the attacker remained uncertain.

Her office released a statement stating that the 46-year-old was “shocked by the incident,” without disclosing any additional information.

“Prime minister Mette Frederiksen was hit by a man Friday evening on Kultorvet in Copenhagen. The man was subsequently arrested,” the statement read.

“The assault caused a minor whiplash injury,” it said, adding that the prime minister was “otherwise safe but shaken” and that her Saturday schedule had been canceled.

Authorities in Copenhagen said the incident had transpired at Kultorvet, a square exclusively for pedestrians located in the heart of the city.

Witnesses said a man came by in the opposite direction and gave her a hard shove on the shoulder, causing her to fall to the side.

Police said on Saturday that the 39-year-old attacker would be brought before a judge for initial questioning regarding an attack on the prime minister.

The circumstances surrounding the assault were not clearly defined, however, it occurred two days prior to the Danish elections for the European Union parliamentary elections, which will end on Sunday across the entire bloc.

Frederiksen has been actively supporting the Social Democrats’ EU lead candidate, Christel Schaldemose, during their campaign.

The attack came less than a month after another European leader, Slovak PM Robert Fico, survived being shot several times while greeting supporters.

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