2019-01-14 09:41 update: 2019-01-14, 19:17
Photo PAP/Adam Warżawa
Polish and foreign politicians condemned the attack on the mayor of Gdańsk (northern Poland) during the 27th finale of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity (WOŚP) in the Baltic port city of Gdańsk on Sunday evening.
Paweł Adamowicz suffered wounds to the heart and abdomen when a man rushed on stage during the event and stabbed him. Doctors reanimated Adamowicz on the spot and then transported him to a Gdańsk Medical University hospital, where he underwent five hours of surgery. His condition is serious.
According to police, the suspect is a 27-year-old male with a criminal record. He was arrested and is under investigation.
The EC Vice-President, Frans Timmermans wrote on Twitter that he had been "horrified by the brutal attack on Gdansk mayor Paweł Adamowicz." "Hope and pray he will recover. A great leader of his city and a true humanitarian," he added.
U.S. Ambassador to Poland Georgette Mosbacher wrote on Twitter that her thoughts were with Mayor Adamowicz and his family.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan stressed on Twitter that he had been shocked by the information about the attack and expressed his solidarity with the city as well as the Gdansk mayor's family and supporters.
European Council President Donald Tusk, a former Polish prime minister, wrote on Twitter: "Let's all pray for Mayor Adamowicz. Paweł, we are with you."
Polish ruling and opposition politicians have strongly condemned the attack and called for prayers for Paweł Adamowicz.
President Andrzej Duda appealed for good thoughts and prayers supporting the Gdańsk mayor.
The Sejm (lower house) and Senate (upper house) Speakers, Marek Kuchciński and Stanisław Karczewski, respectively, stressed they were deeply shocked by the attack.
"I am deeply moved by the aggressive attack on the Gdańsk mayor," Kuchciński wrote on Twitter, and appealed for prayer above divisions.
Karczewski called for prayers for Adamowicz and stressed that "hatred was a powerful weapon that could kill. We must prove that the Community is stronger and that it will win."
The government spokesperson, Joanna Kopcińska wrote that "there is no justification for such aggression," and emphasised that such an attack "is an act which deserves the highest condemnation."
Deputy PM Jarosław Gowin described the attack as "an unimaginable tragedy."
The ruling Law and Justice party's spokesperson, Beata Mazurek said that there could be no justification for such a crime, and emphasised that her party was terrified by this terrible incident.
Words of support were published on Twitter also by Civic Platform (PO)politicians, former president Lech Wałęsa, EC Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska, and Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, among other persons.
"We are keeping our fingers crossed for Paweł, our thoughts are with his family," PO leader Grzegorz Schetyna wrote. (PAP)
at/jch/
