A Polish man has denied allegations of assaulting Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, asserting that he was too intoxicated to recall the incident. The trial began this week in Copenhagen, where the accused, who is shielded by legal anonymity, faces charges of violence against a public servant, indecent exposure, and fraud from separate incidents.
The suspect, whose identity remains confidential due to legal constraints, admitted guilt on some of the charges but has refuted the specific claim of assaulting Prime Minister Frederiksen. He explained in court that he was experiencing a particularly challenging day and has no recollection of the moments leading up to his arrest.
The alleged assault occurred in June, just days before the European Parliament elections. Frederiksen, 46, sustained minor injuries to her neck and shoulder after being punched while on a busy Copenhagen street. Despite the attack, the Prime Minister was able to leave the scene on her own. She described the incident as “shaken” but stated she was “fine” following a subsequent hospital check-up. Frederiksen subsequently withdrew from the final day of European election campaigning.
One of Frederiksen’s bodyguards provided testimony, detailing that the suspect approached the Prime Minister, muttered something unclear, and then delivered a forceful punch to her shoulder.
Frederiksen, who leads Denmark’s Social Democrats and became Denmark’s youngest Prime Minister when she assumed office in 2019, will not be called to testify in the trial.
The defendant, a 39-year-old man, faces possible prison time and deportation if convicted.
