A 31-year-old man now faces a potential prison sentence of eight to ten months after allegedly assaulting a Swedish man during a large public viewing event at Islands Brygge. The incident, which resulted in the victim sustaining fatal injuries from a head injury after falling, has garnered significant attention.
This somber update was delivered by special prosecutor Maria Cingari in the Copenhagen District Court on Wednesday, where a judge opted to extend the accused’s remand for an additional four weeks.
The event, part of the World Cup finals festivities, took place on June 30, featuring a match between Norway and the Ivory Coast. The victim, a 32-year-old Swedish police officer, attended the event in a personal capacity when the assault occurred amid the excitement of a Norwegian goal.
Witness accounts revealed that a group of men in Swedish football shirts erupted in cheers following the score. In a troubling turn, beers were thrown, hitting a contingent of spectators of African descent, prompting a verbal confrontation between the two groups.
During the hearing, a security guard present at the event recounted that while one individual from the Swedish group did not physically strike anyone, tensions escalated rapidly. Defense attorney Thomas Brædder argued that this sequence of events should weigh against the necessity of continued detention for his client, who has been held since July 3.
Despite the tragic outcome, charges have only been pursued under the less severe violence section of the Criminal Code. Brædder contended that the legal justification for his client’s ongoing imprisonment was inadequately supported, particularly given the nature of the confrontation.
Referencing legislative comments from the mid-1980s regarding the justification for imprisonment based on a general sense of justice, Brædder noted that such measures should only apply in cases involving random, unprovoked attacks. He argued that this incident did not fit that criterion, but the judge ultimately rejected his reasoning and maintained the current detention.
The judge also denied a request to allow the defendant to be monitored using an ankle bracelet, citing the individual’s upcoming examination in August for a medium-term higher education program in Zealand as a reason for the request. Further details remain confidential due to a name ban protecting the accused.
RITZAU
