Polish man sentenced for assaulting Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen

A 39-year-old Polish man has been sentenced to four months in prison for assaulting Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in June. The man was found guilty of striking the Prime Minister on her right upper arm with a closed fist, causing her to be pushed off balance. The conviction is categorized as violence against a public official while performing their duties.

In addition to the assault on the Prime Minister, the man faced multiple other charges unrelated to the incident, such as indecent exposure and fraud involving bottle deposits. The court emphasized that the convicted individual recognized the Prime Minister during the incident, and her bodyguard reported the man’s aggressive behavior.

The court’s decision noted the nature and severity of the violence inflicted on the Prime Minister during her personal time. The man has also been banned from entering Denmark for six years. The ruling was unanimous, and the defendant, through his lawyer, conveyed that he would not appeal the verdict.

This is not the first instance of legal action taken against individuals for violence toward Danish politicians. In 2003, two activists received several months of prison time for throwing red paint on then-Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen. Another case involved a 23-year-old man sentenced to 40 days in prison for firing a water gun at former Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt in 2013.

Following the assault during the European Parliament election campaign, Prime Minister Frederiksen canceled several public engagements. In an interview shortly after the incident, she admitted to feeling significantly affected by what transpired, mentioning that she needed time with her family to recover. The Prime Minister reportedly suffered a minor whiplash injury from the incident and underwent a check-up at Rigshospitalet.