Danish Prime Minister attacked by man on Copenhagen square

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was attacked by a man in a square in the capital Copenhagen, the state news agency Ritzau reported on Friday.

Copenhagen police confirmed on Platform X that one person had been arrested and that investigations were ongoing.

There was no immediate information on how the attack occurred or whether Frederiksen was injured in any way. The Prime Minister’s office told Danish state broadcaster DR that she was “shocked” by the incident.

The reports did not provide further details and it was unclear in what context the attack took place, but it occurred during the European Parliament elections that conclude across the EU on Sunday. Frederiksen is campaigning with the Social Democrats’ top candidate, Christel Schaldemose. Media reports say the attack was not related to a campaign event.

News of the attack was met with shock and condemnation by politicians across the political spectrum inside and outside the Scandinavian country.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said “an attack on a democratically elected head of state is also an attack on our democracy,” while Charles Michel, President of the European Council, condemned what he called a “cowardly act of aggression” at the press conference.

Violence against politicians has become an issue in the run-up to the EU elections. In May, a candidate from the German Social Democrats was beaten and seriously injured during the election campaign for a seat in the European Parliament.

In Slovakia, the election campaign was overshadowed by an assassination attempt on populist Prime Minister Robert Fico on 15 May, which sent shockwaves through the country of 5.4 million people that reverberated across Europe.