Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen canceled her scheduled election campaign after being attacked on Friday evening at Kultorvet in Copenhagen, just a short time before the European elections in Denmark.
The Prime Minister’s office released a statement on Saturday, indicating that the attack had caused “minor neck injuries” to the Prime Minister. The statement mentioned that while the overall condition of the Prime Minister is “good”, she was shocked by the incident.
The statement also mentioned that Frederiksen’s planned activities in Helleau, Rødby, Roskilde, Holbæk, and Slagelse on Saturday have been canceled.
Copenhagen police stated on social media platform X that the attack appeared to have no political motive.
According to media reports, a 39-year-old Polish man suspected of attacking Frederiksen appeared in court in Copenhagen on Saturday afternoon, and the court ordered that he be detained until the 20th of this month. The judge ruled to keep the defendant’s name confidential to protect his safety.
The prosecution submitted a doctor’s certificate stating that the defendant has mental health issues. Police mentioned that the arrested man may have been under the influence of drugs and alcohol. During the court proceedings, the prosecutor asked the defendant if he remembered what he did during the incident, to which the defendant replied saying he couldn’t quite remember.
Witnesses described the suspect as tall and thin with dark hair. He approached the Prime Minister and forcefully pushed her shoulder, causing her to lean to the side but not fall. After the attack, the suspect tried to flee but was soon caught and subdued on the ground by several men in suits.
European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, and French President Emmanuel Macron, among other officials, have condemned the attack.
46-year-old Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen took office as the leader of the center-left Social Democratic Party four years ago and was elected as Denmark’s Prime Minister in 2019, successfully winning re-election in 2022.
The Social Democratic Party led by her is the largest party in Denmark’s coalition government. Despite a significant drop in popularity in recent months, the party still leads in polls, as Danish citizens vote today to elect their representatives to the European Parliament.