Man arrested in Denmark for stabbing Jewish woman in Sweden
Tuesday assault, which is feared to have been motivated by anti-Semitism, left victim in critical condition
A man was arrested overnight in Denmark in connection with the stabbing Tuesday of a Jewish woman in Sweden, which left her in critical condition, Swedish media reported.
The suspect will be brought back to Sweden, the Helsingborg daily reported.
Swedish police had earlier issued a warrant for the suspect’s arrest in his absence following the stabbing on a street in the coastal city of Helsingborg.
Police did not provide further details about the suspect or the arrest, which was carried out by Danish officers, the report said.
Sweden is separated from Denmark by a maritime border.
The victim is the wife of the leader of Helsingborg’s Jewish community. Swedish police said they were treating the stabbing as an attempted murder.
Citing the local Jewish community, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the stabbing appeared to have been motivated by anti-Semitism. A leading rabbi echoed the sentiment, though authorities have yet to make any official statement on the matter.
The ministry said Israeli diplomats were in contact with local authorities about the attack and would provide information on the motive once it is known.
“Once again, Jews in Europe are in danger. Today’s brutal stabbing of a member of the Jewish community in Helsingborg, Sweden, is yet another reminder that we cannot rely on fading memories of the Holocaust to keep today’s Jewish communities safe, as our schools, synagogues and community centers are turning into fortresses,” President Reuven Rivlin said in a statement condemning the attack.
“We will fight anti-Semitism with all our might, and will speak out against these dreadful incidents. Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured, her family and community,” he added.
#BREAKING: Jewish female in her 60's was stabbed 9 times and critically wounded in the Swedish city of #Helsingborg pic.twitter.com/06DZiESfE9
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) May 14, 2019
According to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, the assailant was a Muslim man known to authorities. There was no official confirmation in Sweden of this.
The daily Aftonbladet quoted a witness to the stabbing as saying the woman cried out in English, “Help me! Help me!”
A member of the Jewish community told SVT public television that the woman was on her way to work when she was attacked.
Police increased their presence at Jewish centers in Helsingborg as a precaution.
JTA contributed to this report.
