Polish police arrested a 46-year-old man for allegedly calling for the murder of Prime Minister Donald Tusk and other officials. This follows the arrest of a second suspect earlier in the week.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
Polish authorities have arrested a second man in connection with threats against Prime Minister Donald Tusk and other senior government officials. The arrest marks the second detention in three days related to plots or calls for violence against Polish leadership.
Police detained the 46-year-old suspect on Monday in Oborniki, western Poland, according to government spokesperson Adam Szłapka. Prosecutors charged him on Tuesday with inciting the murder of Tusk and parliament speaker Włodzimierz Czarzasty, as well as insulting them and a journalist from public broadcaster TVP Info, local prosecutor Katarzyna Sill-Szułczyńska said on RMF FM radio.
The suspect also faces separate charges of insulting Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, former President Lech Wałęsa, and Krzysztof Paszyk, a lawmaker from Tusk’s governing coalition. According to TVP Info, the man allegedly posted messages calling for the killings on Facebook and TikTok between Aug. 3 and Oct. 7.
This detention follows the arrest of a man in his 60s on Sunday, who is suspected of planning an attack on Tusk and Kosiniak-Kamysz. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński confirmed the suspect was detained in the southwestern region of Lower Silesia. The investigation began after the State Protection Service received a warning, prompting an emergency meeting of police, government protection officers, and the Internal Security Agency.
Security services spokesperson Jacek Dobrzyński stated on Sunday that there was a "strong probability" that the threats in the first case could have been acted upon. Authorities have not established a link between the two suspects or suggested specific motives.
The arrests occur amid heightened security alerts in Poland. The country has recently experienced a wave of school violence, with three attacks in four days leaving one person dead and several injured. Prime Minister Tusk described these incidents as "spontaneous actions" fueled by online activity, noting a rise in the "fascination with violence."
Additionally, Poland faces concerns regarding potential Russian hybrid operations. Chosun.com reported that European intelligence agencies have warned that "Russia is targeting executives of defense companies for assassination," though Polish authorities stated it is "too early to determine whether foreign forces were involved" in the recent assassination plots against Tusk and Kosiniak-Kamysz.
The arrests highlight the severe security risks facing Polish political leaders amid a polarized domestic environment and regional tensions. The rapid succession of arrests underscores the vigilance of Polish security services in monitoring online threats and preventing potential violence against state officials.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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