Vandals attack Prime Minister's home

COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- Vandals attacked the summer cottage of Denmark's prime minister, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, over the new year.

They took a chainsaw and cut down the garden fence of the property, in the coastal village of Tisvilleleje in Northsealand, before neighbours intervened.

"We are very disturbed but we do not want to comment any more on this," Rasmussen and his wife Lone Dybkjær, a member of the European Parliament, told the newspaper Ekstra Bladet.

Over the new year period last year, a dustbin at the prime minister's house exploded.

This year's attack was interrupted by a neighbour who heard a noise and went out to check.

The unknown men fled but returned a couple of hours later, only to be met by another local resident.

The summer cottage is a little-known private haven for the prime minister and his wife.

Rasmussen is not protected by police or security forces in Denmark and is normally able to travel alone.

The Danes pride themselves on security. It is by no means unusual to see members of Denmark's royal family walking the streets of Copenhagen, Aarhus or Fredensborg, where they have their homes.

Last year the homes of two local politicians were set on fire. No-one was hurt but the blazes caused extensive damage.

Police arrested an elderly man but had to release him after an investigation lasting several months.

Major government reshuffle in Denmark
December 21, 2000

CNN Denmark

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.