Denmark's Prime Minister Frederiksen assaulted in central Copenhagen, man arrested

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen gives her Constitution Day speech during the Parliament's celebration of the Constitution in the Landsting Hall in Copenhagen, Denmark, June 5, 2024. Photo by Reuters

"Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was beaten on Friday evening at Kultorvet (square, red.) in Copenhagen by a man who was subsequently arrested. The Prime Minister is shocked by the incident," her office said in a statement without giving further detail.

Police said on social media platform X they had arrested a man and were investigating the incident but declined to give further detail.

"She seemed a little stressed," Soren Kjergaard, who works as a barista on the square, told Reuters after seeing the prime minister being escorted away by security following the assault.

The assault comes two days before Danes head to the polls in the EU election. Three weeks ago, Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico was seriously injured in an assassination attempt.

Danish Minister of Environment Magnus Heunicke said on X: "Mette is naturally shocked by the attack. I must say that it shakes all of us who are close to her."