Another incident involving threats and insults against Ukrainians occurs in Poland: police open a case

Polish police have opened a criminal case on charges of threats and ethnic discrimination following an incident at a manufacturing facility near the town of Skawina, in the vicinity of Kraków.

This was reported by Rubryka, citing Rmf24.

The incident occurred last Friday. A video of the conflict, filmed by the workers themselves, spread on social media. The footage shows a man in a hard hat and a safety vest who, according to Polish media, was a supervisor of the workers. He hurled obscene insults at Ukrainian citizens and shouted offensive remarks at them — including “Banderite,” “Go to the front,” and “Putin is waiting for you.” The man then approached the worker who was filming and attempted to take his phone.

On Saturday, two Ukrainian workers went to the police station in Skawina and filed a complaint about the threats made against them. Małopolska Police spokeswoman Katarzyna Cisło said that after reviewing the video, law enforcement officers decided to investigate the case as possible ethnic discrimination. The collected evidence will be handed over to the prosecutor’s office.

The company Grupa Stadnicki, where the incident took place, announced that immediate action had been taken: the man who threatened the Ukrainians “no longer represents the company in any capacity.”

“This person no longer represents our company in any way. At the same time, we are deeply troubled that such a terrible incident occurred, as a result of which a representative of another company was harmed. We are very sorry that this situation arose. No emotions or professional disputes can justify aggression,” the company stated.

The incident near Kraków came against the backdrop of another high-profile case: on Sunday, July 26, in the Polish city of Wrocław, several men attacked a young Ukrainian couple. The couple had entered a shop near their home and were pursued after coming back out onto the street. The alleged reason for the attack was “their accent.”

Following the attack in Wrocław, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that the rise in violence in the country is linked to radical groups feeling politically emboldened. Tusk also called on President Karol Nawrocki to speak out.