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Poland stabbings driven by online glorification of violence, Tusk says
BBC • • world
Key Points:
- Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk attributed three recent violent school attacks to the "glorification of violence" online, describing them as spontaneous actions inspired by online activity.
- Authorities have arrested 117 individuals nationwide for possession of weapons or threats related to school attacks, following extensive searches in tens of thousands of schools.
- The attacks included a stabbing at a vocational school injuring nine people, the killing of a female caretaker by a 15-year-old at a primary school, and an assault on a 17-year-old girl in Warsaw.
- Tusk highlighted a rise in fascination with violence and extremist right-wing ideologies, noting increased online searches for Nazi content and mass killers idolized online.
- Thousands of police officers were deployed to schools across Poland to reassure students and prevent further incidents amid fears of a "Bloody Friday" inspired by an alleged online challenge.
