Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen attacked in Copenhagen

A local resident told Reuters the prime minister walked away after the attack and showed no outward signs of injury.

Several Danish lawmakers and European officials expressed shock at the incident and denounced the violence.

“I condemn this despicable act which goes against everything we believe in and fight for in Europe. I wish you strength and courage – I know you have a lot of both,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on X.

“Mette is understandably shocked by the attack. I must say that this shakes all of us who are close to her,” Danish Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke said on X. “Such a thing must not happen in our beautiful, safe and free country .”

The attack was the latest incident of violence during the European election cycle. EU citizens will vote in the European Parliament elections from Thursday to Sunday, with Denmark voting on the final day of elections.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was seriously injured after a gunman shot him several times on May 15. Fico made his first public appearance since Wednesday, saying in a video message that he had forgiven his attacker despite the pain he had caused. Fico added that the shooter was a “Slovak opposition activist” and that “the opposition will have to think about it.”

German Social Democrat MEP Matthias Ecke was also attacked while putting up campaign posters in Dresden in May, forcing him to undergo surgery, his party said. “In a democracy, no one should be afraid to express their opinion!” Ecke tweeted with a selfie of himself with a black eye.

The incident sparked a meeting of German state interior ministers to demand tougher penalties for politically motivated violence against activists.

A far-right Alternative for Germany politician was stabbed on Tuesday by a suspect wielding a box cutter who was damaging election posters in Mannheim, southwest Germany, local police said.