Police boost presence and detain 17-year-old after 'Bloody Friday' threat to Polish schools
Warnings about an alleged series of attacks on schools planned for 9 October have circulated on social media. Police say they are monitoring the situation and will deploy officers to schools they believe are at risk. In several towns in the Mazovia region, on-site classes have been cancelled.
On Thursday, social media platforms were inundated with alarming claims of planned attacks on Polish schools, dubbed "Bloody Friday" and set for October 9th. These reports emerged following several serious incidents in schools across the Mazovia region. A 19-year-old attacked nine individuals with a knife at a school in Ostrołęka, while a 15-year-old former student killed a 37-year-old school employee and injured two others in Leszczydole-Nowinach.
To address the growing concern, police have implemented intensified preventive measures, with National Police Commander-in-Chief Marek Boroń announcing that officers would be visibly present at schools on Friday morning. Boroń emphasized the police's commitment to ensuring school safety, stating that they would do everything necessary to prevent any potential violence. He urged pupils and parents to report any credible suspicions of planned attacks directly to teachers or law enforcement.
The surge in reports of potential threats can be attributed, in part, to a video circulating on social media platforms that purportedly detailed plans for attacks on schools. The police swiftly detained a 17-year-old resident of Przasnysz, likely the creator of the video, after receiving reports from pupils and teachers about his suspicious behavior. In Sierpc, a 17-year-old was detained after reporting threats against his school, leading to the discovery of two knives on his person.
In Leszczydole-Nowinach, a 15-year-old former student attacked a caretaker, principal, and teacher with a sharp object, likely a knife, resulting in the death of a 37-year-old school employee and injuries to two others. As a result, primary schools in the Wyszków municipality have been closed for in-person classes on Friday, while secondary schools in Ciechanów will operate remotely. Pułtusk schools are also expected to provide care for pupils without in-person classes.
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