Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen says he is “shocked” but “fine” after the attack, which prosecutors say was not politically motivated

Danish authorities said on Saturday that the attack on Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, which left her “shocked” and caused whiplash, was probably not “politically motivated”.

“I am sad and shocked about yesterday’s incident, but otherwise I am fine,” Frederiksen said in an Instagram post, adding that she needs “peace and quiet.”

A 39-year-old Pole who was arrested after punching the prime minister on Friday night has been remanded in custody until June 20 following his appearance in a Copenhagen court, prosecutor Taruh Sekeroglu told reporters.

“Our main hypothesis is not that there is a political motive here. But this is something that the police will of course investigate,” Sekeroglu said.

Sekeroglu said the man was suspected of violence against an officer and there was a risk of him fleeing.

Frederiksen’s office told AFP she was taken to hospital for examination after the attack in a Copenhagen square.

The attack caused “mild whiplash,” it said. The Prime Minister was “otherwise unharmed but shaken by the incident” and her Saturday appointment was canceled.

Under the influence

During the hearing on Saturday, the prosecution presented a doctor’s statement in which he described the defendant as mentally unbalanced and under the influence of drugs, Danish media reported.

Broadcaster DR said police described the man, who denied any crime, as “probably both under the influence of drugs and drunk” when he was arrested.

The broadcaster also reported that the prosecutor asked the man in the courtroom if he could remember what he did the previous day between 5.30pm (3.30pm GMT) and 5.45pm.

“To be completely honest, no, not much,” the man replied, according to DR.

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the attack as “unacceptable” in a statement on X on Saturday.

“I condemn this act in the strongest possible terms and wish Mette Frederiksen a speedy recovery,” Macron added.

Two witnesses, Marie Adrian and Anna Ravn, told the BT newspaper that they saw Frederiksen arrive at the square shortly before 6 p.m. on Friday while they were sitting at a nearby fountain.

“A man came towards her and gave her a hard push on the shoulder, causing her to fall to the side,” the two women told the newspaper.

They added that although Frederiksen had received a “strong impact” he did not hit the ground.

They described the man as tall and slim and said he tried to get away quickly but didn’t get far before men in suits grabbed him and pushed him to the ground.

‘Surprised’

Leading European politicians condemned the attack in the strongest possible terms. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also described it as a “despicable act that contradicts everything we believe in in Europe and what we fight for.”

“I was simply surprised that something like this could happen,” 45-year-old Danish woman Anna Liljegren told AFP in Copenhagen.

“I’m sure she has security,” she added.

Another Dane, 25-year-old Frederik Bey, told AFP he found it “quite disturbing that such things can happen in Denmark.”

In 2019, Frederiksen became the country’s youngest prime minister and retained the office after emerging victorious in the 2022 general election.

The incident follows a spate of attacks on politicians from across the political spectrum at work or on the campaign trail in Germany ahead of this week’s EU elections – as Danes head to the polls to cast their votes on Sunday.

On May 15, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot four times at close range as he greeted supporters after a government meeting in the central town of Handlova.

Fico, who survived the assassination attempt, had to undergo two lengthy hospital operations.