Polish Man Pleads Not Guilty to Assaulting Danish Prime Minister

A Polish man has entered a not guilty plea in a Copenhagen court regarding charges of assaulting Denmark's Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen. The suspect, whose identity is protected by legal restrictions, claims he was too intoxicated to recall the incident, which occurred in June, just days before the European Parliament elections. He faces additional charges, including indecent exposure and fraud, and has admitted guilt to some of these offenses, potentially leading to a prison sentence and deportation. During the trial, the 39-year-old defendant recounted his experience, stating he had been having a difficult day when he encountered Prime Minister Frederiksen. He described a moment of confusion, recalling only that he was arrested shortly after their interaction. The attack resulted in minor injuries for Frederiksen, who was punched in the shoulder but managed to leave the scene without assistance. Following the incident, she expressed feeling "shaken" but ultimately reported being "fine." The prime minister was briefly hospitalized for precautionary checks and subsequently withdrew from the final day of her campaign. Notably, she will not testify in the trial; however, a bodyguard provided testimony, detailing how the suspect approached Frederiksen on a crowded street and delivered a forceful punch. Frederiksen, 46, has been in office since 2019 and is the leader of Denmark's Social Democrats, the largest party in the coalition government.