The police took no chances when a 52 year old allegedly Lebanese man suddenly pulled a knife in the nearby presence of Danish anti-immigrant politician, Rasmus Paludan. The incident took place at a crowded political gathering. Mr. Paludan has been violently threatened and harassed multiple times lately at similar political events.
Ignoring several repeated police orders to put down his knife and failing to react to an initial warning shot, the attacker according to present media shouted Allahu Akbar and was then immediately put to the ground by a single gunshot to the leg.
The Danish politician was immediately rushed from the scene by police bodyguards and brought to safety.
Mr. Paludan was present at a demonstration celebrating the Danish Constitution Day nearby the extensive urban Muslim habitat Gellerupparken when a Lebanese man suddenly broke through the police barrier and afterwards pulled a knife.
While Mr. Paludan was rushed to his car, the man was immediately encircled and checked by police officers with drawn sidearms. Failing to abide by police instructions to put down his weapon the man left the police with no option but to shoot due to the risk of numerous other innocent bystanders becoming alternative targets.
Mr. Paludan and his party Hard Line have in recent years risen to wide attention due to the opposition to Danish and EU immigration policy and the declared intention of repatriating huge contingents of Muslim immigrants refusing to integrate in the Danish society in quantities of hundreds of thousands.
Due to constant threat to Mr. Paludan’s life and several physical assaults against him, the police generally sets up perimeter protection around him at political meetings and provides around the clock close personal protection security. He has numerous times been evacuated in situations surrounded by angry mobs of violently threatening Muslim immigrants. Several times the police have been forced to draw their handguns in order to protect him.
In the immediate aftermath of the incident Friday, the police inspector Michael Keldgaard informed the public that a 40 year old man has been detained suspected of being an accomplice. The police provided no details since the investigation was at an initial stage.
After the attack against Mr. Paludan, violent riots erupted in the resident area largely dominated by Muslims, which in general are plagued by crime and violence. Riots on a lesser scale have risen lately, where cars and waste containers have been set alight by arsonists.
The police and firemen have for the third night in a row been attacked with rocks and fireworks by rioters behind barricades in the area where all public transportation has been temporarily suspended.
Numerous arrests have been made. In a car stopped by the police, clubs and inflammable fluids were found. Luckily no serious injuries to people have occurred so far though two police officers have been hit by fireworks.
The attack against Mr. Rasmus Paludan has received little attention from the political establishment where reactions have been very restraint.
The police have charged the 52 year old Lebanese man with attempted murder.