He clarifies that he has the Swede’s family in mind.
Sobs are heard in the courtroom as the trial begins at Copenhagen District Court. Defense attorney Thomas Brædder says the 31-year-old pleads guilty.
The Swede was punched hard at the end of June during a World Cup event at Islands Brygge in Copenhagen. The punch caused, among other things, a ruptured artery, and the man died three days later.
The man worked as a police officer but was in Copenhagen in his spare time when the assault occurred.
Annoyed by beer splashes
A World Cup match between Ivory Coast and Norway was being shown on a big screen. The 31-year-old says Norwegian fans splashed beer whenever they cheered. He then threw two beer cans at them himself.
“We were annoyed that they threw beer,” he explains.
Prosecutor Søren Harbo asks whether the Swedish police officer gave him any reason to be beaten. The defendant answers “no” very quietly and shakes his head at the same time.
Film clips of the incident are shown in court. In them, the Swede, wearing a blue and yellow football shirt, is hit and falls to the ground. The footage suggests he was hit as he tried to get between the now-accused 31-year-old and another Swedish supporter.
Sadness and anger
Danish politicians have reacted strongly to the assault. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (S) and Lars Løkke Rasmussen (M) have expressed both sadness and anger. This came after prosecutors announced they would seek a prison sentence of between eight and ten months for the 31-year-old.
The charges were brought under a more lenient provision of the Danish Criminal Code concerning minor violence.
“Deep sadness and great anger have filled me in recent days,” Frederiksen wrote on social media on July 6.
A month later, Frederiksen said she would like to see a harsher sentence for the man. She has also said that the Danish government wants tougher sentences for deadly violence in cases where the perpetrator has previously been convicted of a violent crime.
Previously convicted
The accused man has previously been convicted of violence, attempted murder and rape, according to the Ritzau news agency.
Prosecutor Søren Harbo does not want to comment on the politicians’ statements.
“I’m a prosecutor, I’m not a politician or anything like that, so I won’t go into that,” he tells TT’s reporter on his way into the trial.
He also says he expects the verdict to be announced during the day.
