Woman injures three people in third school attack in Warsaw

A 21-year-old woman injured three people Saturday inside an educational institution in Warsaw, police said. The incident marks the third violent event at a Polish school in less than a week.

The attacker used a “dangerous object” to assault a 17-year-old woman, Warsaw police spokesman Jakub Filipiak said. She then hurt two other people, aged 17 and 24, Filipiak said. None of the injuries was life-threatening.

Police did not name the facility. They said it held Saturday classes because it is a higher education site. The woman did not know any victims, police said.

Officers detained 76 people nationwide on Saturday, police said. They also checked nearly 50,000 schools across the country. Those actions aimed to prevent more violence.

National Security Measures Increase

Schools across the country boosted security on Friday. Some schools suspended classes entirely. Many parents kept children home. Police sent patrols to educational institutions.

These actions followed two earlier incidents that left one dead and several hurt. On Wednesday, a 19-year-old vocational school student attacked people in the Mazovian province. Police said he used a sharp object to injure nine people.

Officers arrested him nearby. The next day, a 15-year-old killed a school custodian in the same province. He also wounded two others with a knife at his former school.

Both attackers were Polish nationals. Rumors quickly spread in parents’ online groups by Thursday night. Mainstream media also shared claims about a planned day of violence.

A total of 59 schools suspended classes on Friday. Most were located in the Mazovian district. Warsaw sits within that district.

School directors announced extra staff at building doors. They also started voluntary backpack checks.

“There will be no compromise here. The safety of the youth is the most important thing,” Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said.

Detentions Follow Online Threats

Officers detained a 14-year-old boy in central Warsaw on Friday. He possessed a knife with a concealed blade and 11 firecrackers. Police held another 16-year-old Warsaw student carrying a butterfly knife.

Other detained youths had posted online photos of knives. Some threatened peers or threatened school violence. The government reported no evidence showing an internet challenge promoted these actions.

Officials have not confirmed any link between the two earlier assaults. Both suspects remain in custody. Officials plan to organize crisis training.

The government promised renewed efforts to pass a web safety bill. This legislation would block harmful online content.

“If that juvenile attacker had streamed the crime online today, we would have been unable to block that content because we have not been given that legal tool,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.

The 15-year-old suspect wore a camera during Thursday’s assault. School director Krzysztof Ochmański overpowered the teenager. The boy said he did not want to continue, Ochmański said.

“Once I had established contact, he asked me for help. It got to the point where he wanted a hug.”

Higher education establishments offer courses for adults beyond standard secondary school. Polish municipal police units handle initial crime response and crowd control duties during campus emergencies. Local school directors hold legal authority over facility visitor access.

Officials said the extra security measures at schools across Warsaw and other districts will continue.