Denmark: the attacker of the Prime Minister before a judge

The 39-year-old man suspected of attacking Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Friday evening probably acted without political motivation and was remanded in custody on Saturday until June 20.

Mette Frederiksen, “shaken”, canceled her commitments on Saturday and suffered a “slight whiplash” after being attacked in a square in Copenhagen, her services said.

“Our current working hypothesis is that the incident is not politically motivated,” police said on X after the suspect’s hearing by a judge who decided to place him in pre-trial detention until June 20.

The Danish Prime Minister, 46, underwent a medical examination at hospital, her services said on Saturday in a press release to AFP. “The attack caused a slight whiplash,” according to this press release, which specifies that she is “shaken by the incident” and has therefore canceled her program for that day.

For his part, the 39-year-old suspect was mumbling and seemed absent at the time of his arrest, the prosecution said during the hearing, according to Danish media.

He appeared to be intoxicated, according to a medical report cited by the prosecutor. He allegedly punched the top of the Prime Minister’s right arm, according to the prosecution.

Two witnesses told Danish daily BT they saw Mette Frederiksen arriving at a square in central Copenhagen on Friday as they sat near a fountain just before 6 p.m. (1600 GMT). “A man came from the opposite direction and pushed her shoulder hard, which caused her to stumble to the side” but without causing her to fall, according to these witnesses.

Although it was a “strong push,” Mette Frederiksen did not fall to the ground, they said. They described the man as tall and thin and added that he tried to run away, but did not have time to get far before being grabbed and put to the ground by men in suits.

Switzerland condemns the aggression

The President of the Confederation Viola Amherd said she was shocked by the attack on Friday evening on Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in the center of Copenhagen. “We express our support and wish him a speedy recovery,” she wrote on Saturday on X. Switzerland condemns all forms of violence.

“Inadmissible” for Macron

Several European leaders denounced this new attack, which comes three weeks after an assassination attempt in Slovakia against the head of government Robert Fico, wounded by bullets on May 15, while he was greeting his supporters at the end of a government meeting.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, condemned a “despicable act” against the Danish Prime Minister. “The attack on the Danish Prime Minister is unacceptable. I strongly condemn this act and wish Mette Frederiksen a speedy recovery,” wrote French President Emmanuel Macron on the social network X.

Also condemning this attack, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, urged the head of the Danish government on Friday to “stay strong”, adding in a message published on X that “violence has no place in politics”.

Mette Frederiksen became Denmark’s youngest prime minister in 2019 and retained her post after her party’s victory in the 2022 legislative elections.

This attack comes as some 4.3 million Danish voters will elect their 15 European deputies on Sunday. According to polls, the Prime Minister’s social democratic party is expected to retain its three seats in the European Parliament.

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