NEW DELHI:
Denmark's prime minister
Mette Frederiksen was assaulted and struck by an individual in central Copenhagen, according to Ritzau news agency, which cited police and the
prime minister's office
. The PM managed to leave the scene without any visible injuries, according to eyewitnesses.
The assailant was taken into custody by law enforcement authorities in the aftermath of the incident.
In a statement, the Prime Minister's office confirming the incident, said, "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." However, they did not provide any additional information.
Both the Copenhagen Police and
Denmark's national security
and intelligence service acknowledged the incident but refrained from offering further details.
Soren Kjergaard, a barista working in the square, told Reuters that he witnessed the prime minister being escorted away by security after the assault, noting that "She seemed a little stressed."
Expressing concern, Danish minister of environment Magnus Heunicke shared on X, "Mette is naturally shocked by the attack. I must say that it shakes all of us who are close to her."
(With agency inputs)