In short
- A priest was killed and four other people were injured in a knife attack on Thursday morning at a Catholic abbey in Jarosław, south-east Poland.
- A 31-year-old Ukrainian man was arrested on the abbey grounds, and Polish police said an investigation into the attacker’s motives is under way.
- Polish police said four men and one woman were stabbed in the attack.
- Polish President Karol Nawrocki said the attack ‘has shaken us all and demands a firm response from the state’.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said ‘we are shocked by this evil’ and called for ‘a quick and thorough investigation of all circumstances’.
A priest was killed and four other people were injured in a knife attack on Thursday morning at a Catholic abbey in Jarosław, south-east Poland, police said. A 31-year-old Ukrainian man was arrested on the abbey grounds, and police said they are investigating his motives.
What do we know so far?
- One person was killed: a priest whose name has not been publicly released.
- Four other people were injured. Polish police said four men and one woman were stabbed.
- The stabbings happened on the grounds of a Catholic abbey in Jarosław, south-east Poland.
- A 31-year-old Ukrainian man was arrested on the abbey grounds.
- Police said an investigation into the attacker’s motives is under way.
Where did the attack happen?
Polish media reports said the attacker first injured a priest in a nearby cafe and then wounded four more people inside the abbey itself. The abbey is a Catholic site in Jarosław, a town in south-east Poland.
How have Polish officials responded?
Polish President Karol Nawrocki said the attack “has shaken us all and demands a firm response from the state”. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the perpetrator “will be punished with the full severity of Polish law”. Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said psychological support was being provided to all those affected.
What did Ukraine’s president say?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said “we are shocked by this evil” and that “the perpetrator of this evil must bear full responsibility according to the law”. Zelensky added that Ukraine was counting on “a quick and thorough investigation of all circumstances”.
What did the Ukrainian embassy say?
The Ukrainian embassy in Poland condemned the attack. In a statement, it said: “In such difficult moments, it is especially important to support each other, remain steadfast in respect for human life, and not allow pain to escalate into hatred or new violence. Responsibility for a crime must be based solely on the law.”
What is the wider context?
Poland has recently seen a number of often violent incidents involving its citizens and Ukrainians, many of whom have fled their home country after Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Deadly attacks on civilians elsewhere have ended in court: a Sri Lankan court jailed 15 men for the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.
In South Africa, eleven people were killed in a mass shooting at a house near Durban.
Frequently asked questions
Who was arrested after the knife attack at the abbey in Jarosław?
A 31-year-old Ukrainian man was arrested on the abbey grounds in Jarosław, south-east Poland. Polish police said an investigation into his motives is under way.
How many people were hurt in the Jarosław abbey attack?
A priest was killed and four other people were injured. Polish police said four men and one woman were stabbed on Thursday morning on the abbey grounds.
What did Poland’s president say about the attack?
President Karol Nawrocki said the attack ‘has shaken us all and demands a firm response from the state’. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the perpetrator ‘will be punished with the full severity of Polish law’.
Has the priest who died been named?
No. The name of the murdered priest has not been publicly released.
With reporting from BBC News.
Stock image, not from the events described. Globe World — Jo%E3o%20Silas / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)