Polish Man Sentenced for Assault on Danish PM

A Polish man is set to stand trial in Denmark on August 6 for an assault on Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen that occurred in early June. The incident, which took place just two days before the European Parliament elections, resulted in a minor neck injury for Frederiksen and prompted her to cancel several public engagements. The attack raised concerns about increasing aggression in public spaces, particularly following a recent assassination attempt on Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico and a shooting involving US presidential candidate Donald Trump. The 39-year-old suspect, who reportedly had been living in Denmark for several years, claimed he was not guilty and attributed his actions to intoxication, stating he could not recall the event. Investigators confirmed he was under the influence of alcohol and drugs at the time and did not recognize Frederiksen as the prime minister. Eyewitnesses noted that she was able to walk away from the incident unaided, despite sustaining a minor whiplash injury. On August 7, the Copenhagen District Court sentenced the man to four months in prison and imposed a six-year ban on his return to Denmark. The court highlighted the seriousness of the crime, emphasizing that the attack occurred while Frederiksen was fulfilling her official duties. The suspect did not intend to appeal the ruling, which also noted his inappropriate behavior during the incident. Frederiksen, who has been in office since 2019, was campaigning for her party's European Parliament candidate at the time of the attack. Her candidate, Christel Schaldemose, ultimately won the election.