COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – A 39-year-old man who attacked Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in Copenhagen on Friday, injuring his neck, was sentenced to 12 days in jail on Saturday, Danish police mentioned.
The assault occurred on Friday in a metropolis heart sq. when a person walked as much as the prime minister and punched her.
Frederiksen’s workplace mentioned the incident left the politician “shocked” and he suffered a minor whiplash.
The Prime Minister’s Workplace added on Saturday that every one official occasions on Saturday had been cancelled.
The assault occurred two days earlier than Danes went to vote in EU elections.
Three German politicians had been attacked a month in the past forward of elections for the European Parliament and regional councils, with extra assaults earlier this week.
Soren Kjergaard, a neighborhood espresso store employee, instructed Reuters after seeing Frederiksen being escorted away by safety that Frederiksen was capable of stroll away with none incident after the assault. Indicators of harm.
Copenhagen police mentioned the person denied wrongdoing however believed his actions weren’t politically motivated.
Based on broadcaster DR, the Copenhagen Municipal Court docket decide mentioned that “there’s a danger of flight provided that the defendant has no ties to Denmark” as one of many causes for imposing the jail sentence.
A number of EU leaders condemned the incident, which got here simply three weeks after Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was critically injured in an assassination try.
“My good pal and Danish colleague Mette Frederiksen was attacked on the streets of Copenhagen final evening. That is fully unacceptable and an assault on our open, democratic society,” Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gall Storey instructed the NTB information company.
European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X on Friday:
“I’m fully shocked by the information that you’ve got been attacked tonight. I condemn this despicable act, which matches in opposition to every thing we consider in and struggle for in Europe. I want you power and braveness – I do know you each All.