Polish Mayor Dies After Being Stabbed Onstage at Charity Event

[lupuselectro 508]

The mayor of Gdansk, Poland, a leading liberal critic of the populist, right-wing national government, died on Monday after being stabbed at a public charity concert Sunday night, the minister of health told reporters.

Mayor Pawel Adamowicz, 53, the mayor of the northern port city since 1998, was known as a supporter of gay rights, and he had campaigned for the rights of immigrants in a country whose governing party has leaned heavily on anti-immigrant rhetoric.

/NYT https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/14/world/europe/pawel-adamowicz-gdansk-mayor-dead.html

I live in the metro area and it’s truly shocking, we’ve never had an attack like that in Poland since 1922 (when the first President ever elected was murdered a few days after he was chosen). I may not have always supported Adamowicz, but he truly was a mainstream voice of freedom and acceptance in here, I still can’t believe this whole thing even happened

[WorstBehavior 1,141]

[Demoncore 475]

The president of the charity, Jerzy Owsiak, stepped down after this event took place. It’s heartbreaking all around and it affects so many people. shame on the Law and Justice party for making this about politics when issuing their condolensces for Pawel.

[Guest Adarsh]

May he rest in peace 

[JiU 2,194]

I'm here in Poland, this has been all the rage in the news. A tragedy indeed 

[TimisaMonster 31,073]

Omg that's horrible I feel so bad for his family! 

[RAMROD 116,991]

So outrageus. Rest In Peace

Poland is too Catholic for their own good. I wonder if they can still see forest for a tree. 

[Woolfsmck 2,763]

Was this because of his political stsnce?

Plus, why was his security so easy to bypass?

[weed 78,870]

Damn, this is sad. I wonder if my grandparents supported him, they live in a small town a few hours from Gdansk. 

I hope the right wing can simmer down in Poland and more progressive notions are introduced

[lupuselectro 508]

14 minutes ago, Woolfsmck said:

Was this because of his political stsnce?

Plus, why was his security so easy to bypass?

From what I’m hearing it was most likely politically motivated, but the suspect is also reportedly paranoid, so I guess we won’t find out until the end of the investigation. He’s also had a media backstage pass , most likely stolen or something, so that’s how he got there so easily. There were no security guards on stage tho and the charity organisation is receiving backlash for that rn.

[Woolfsmck 2,763]

5 minutes ago, lupuselectro said:

From what I’m hearing it was most likely politically motivated, but the suspect is also reportedly paranoid, so I guess we won’t find out until the end of the investigation. He’s also had a media backstage pass , most likely stolen or something, so that’s how he got there so easily. There were no security guards on stage tho and the charity organisation is receiving backlash for that rn.

K..thks 

[Demoncore 475]

2 hours ago, Woolfsmck said:

Was this because of his political stsnce?

Plus, why was his security so easy to bypass?

They say the person that stormed the stage was doing it as a statement for being “wrongfully” imprisoned, but there is reason to believe it was politically motivated.

This article gives better insight into this issue than I can, but right-wing groups have repeatedly attacked liberal/leftist politicians in Poland, to the point where one group issued “death certificates” for they mayors—including Adamowicz: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/poles-blame-toxic-political-climate-for-murder-of-gdansk-mayor-1.3759201%3fmode=amp

Of course nothing came of the certificates because the Law and Justice party (PiS) said that it wasn’t a threat, but rather “freedom of speech”.

[dit 46,738]

6 hours ago, lupuselectro said:

Mayor Pawel Adamowicz, 53, the mayor of the northern port city since 1998, was known as a supporter of gay rights, and he had campaigned for the rights of immigrants in a country whose governing party has leaned heavily on anti-immigrant rhetoric.

 

This is so heartbreaking. Poland lost an amazing man it seems.