Fredriksen was assaulted in the open street - an arrestee

Danish politics

Denmark's prime minister assaulted in open street

Knut Sahlin Ekberg

Published 2024-06-07 20.53

Mette Fredriksen. Photo: Jeremias Gonzalez

Mette Fredriksen has been assaulted in Copenhagen.

"I sincerely hope that she is well-preserved," writes Ulf Kristersson on X.

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Fredriksen has been beaten in the open street, writes Ekstrabladet with reference to Ritzau. A man has been arrested.

The assault must have taken place at Kultorvet in Copenhagen.

According to a press release, the Prime Minister is shocked. The government office is otherwise silent.

There is no information on the state of the injury, but according to information to Ekstrabladet, the prime minister is okay under the circumstances. However, she must be "very shaken".

A man who works at a café on Kultorvet tells the newspaper that he often meets Mette Frederiksen  there - but that she behaved differently this evening.

- She seemed a little more shaken than she usually is, he says.

According to him, no obvious injuries could be seen on the prime minister.

Several politicians in Denmark have expressed their support for Mette Fredriksen. Swedish politicians have also given their greetings.

"Absolutely terrible. This must be condemned in the strongest possible terms," ​​writes Foreign Minister Tobias Billström on X.

"For me, Mette is a very good colleague and wise partner. I sincerely hope that she is well preserved. An attack on a democratically elected leader is also an attack on our democracy. Tonight, my thoughts and those of the family are with her," writes Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

Magdalena Andersson also comments on the attack:
"That a head of government is attacked two days before an election is an attack on our open and free society. My thoughts are with Mette and Denmark," she writes on X.