Danish PM doused with cold water, negative sentiment

A man was in police custody last night for dousing Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt with water after her May 1st speech in a public park in Aarhus, reports seven59.dk and b.dk.

The PM’s speech had been drowned out by boos, catcalls and abuse, a fate also suffered by Socialist People’s Party leader Anette Vilhelmsen and Mayor of Copenhagen Frank Jensen in Fælledparken in Copenhagen.

Berlingske political commentator Thomas Larsen called it ‘disheartening’ to see such a public display of political harassment and predicted that May 1st, 2013, would go down in history as a new low in the Social Democrats’ downslide.

He said: “It’s been obvious for a long time that the Prime Minister is a major disappointment to party activists and emotions boiled over during the teacher dispute, but it’s still no excuse for attacking elected officials. The level of abuse we saw today in both Aarhus and Copenhagen was distressing and indecent. Many voters may feel betrayed by the government but that’s no excuse for sabotaging speeches or throwing water at the Prime Minister. It’s an attack on democracy”.

universitypost@adm.ku.dk

Stay in the know about news and events happening in Copenhagen by signing up for the University Post’s weekly newsletter here.