A 39-year-old Polish man has been sentenced to four months in jail for assaulting Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and separate sexual harassment charges. The man, who remains unidentified, punched the prime minister's right shoulder with a clenched fist, causing her to lose balance but not fall. Frederiksen suffered whiplash as a result of the assault.
The Copenhagen District Court issued the sentencing, which the defendant did not appeal. The court emphasized that the assault occurred in connection with the prime minister's performance of her duties, highlighting the nature of the violence.
In addition to the assault on the prime minister, the man confessed to other charges, including sexual harassment by exposing himself to passersby and groping a woman at a commuter train station. He also faced fraud charges related to deposit-marked bottles and cans at supermarkets.
Prosecutor Anders Larsson demanded four months in jail for the assault on the prime minister and for the indecent exposure, stating that the man's behavior was not fitting for society.
The assault took place while Frederiksen was on a private break from her party's campaign for the European Parliament elections. The incident was not linked to the campaign event.
This assault comes amidst a backdrop of rising violence against politicians in Europe, with incidents reported in Germany and Slovakia. In Slovakia, an attempt to assassinate Prime Minister Robert Fico sent shockwaves through the nation and Europe, highlighting the security concerns faced by political figures.
