“It's harmful”. The Student Council of the University of Warsaw refutes the allegations of passivity

Allegations of passivity of students during tragic events at the campus of the University of Warsaw of May 7 are unexpected and harmful to the entire academic community – wrote representatives of the Student Government of the University of Warsaw in their statement on disinformation and hate.

“In the face of such a serious tragedy, we call for restraint in assessments and responsibility in providing information. Please do not confirm reports and to refrain from harmful comments at the academic community. The seriousness of this situation requires all of us prudence, empathy and respect for facts and other people” – the students appealed in the statement published in the Media social.

Last Wednesday, a 22-year-old student of the Faculty of Law University of Warsaw attacked a 53-year-old porter with an ax, who closed the door to the Maximum auditorium. The woman did not survive the attack and died on the spot. A 39-year-old employee of the University of Warsaw, whom the attacker also inflicted severe wounds, started to help a woman.

In recent days, charges against students who witnessed the event that they filmed them instead of calling help have emerged in the media space.

The self -government of students of the University of Warsaw (and earlier students of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw) referred to this. “Each event of such a dramatic character raises a wave of speculation and false reports. In recent days, there have been numerous comments suggesting that students have behaved passively, did not react on time, or escaped instead of providing help. These claims are not only unfair, but also deeply hurting the entire academic community” – emphasized in the statement.

As reported, “as presented in the prosecutor's office, presented during a press conference on May 8, the police received telephones about the incident, the first at 18:39”. “Among the people who immediately informed the services, there were also students of our university. The reaction was fast and adequate – students called the police without undue delay and notified the university guard” – it was indicated. It was added that “one of the guards was seriously wounded as a result of heroic intervention and is currently in the hospital.”

The local government also referred to the allegation of “alleged hiding of students and passive recording of the event.” “We would like to point out that the recordings, which unfortunately circulate on the Internet, are currently evidence in the proceedings and play an important role in explaining the circumstances of the tragedy. However, we call for refraining from further sharing these materials – their dissemination is not only unethical, but can also harm the investigation” – we read.

Last Friday, the Warsaw Police Headquarters announced that it had secured a number of recordings – from monitoring to recordings registered by the mobile phones of witnesses.

In addition, the statement indicates that “there is also untrue information that the perpetrator for a long time moved around the campus with an ax in his hand without the reaction of the environment.” “As the prosecutor's office confirmed, the crime tool was hidden in the bag until the attack. This is also confirmed by monitoring entries” – we read.

The Local Government of the University of Warsaw also referred to the entry on one of the student groups, “which is sometimes recalled as 'proof' to the above -mentioned neglect.” “In fact, it was published after the crime and cannot confirm the thesis about the passivity of students. In particular in this context, we call for refraining from personnel attacks, and above all to completely abandon the management of threats and hate speech towards individuals.

“We certainly emphasize that all available safety procedures were launched, and students who are witnessing the event were guided by the care for their safety and others. The allegations of passivity, in such a dramatic situation, are unjustified” – summed up the students.

The day after the tragedy – May 8 – spokesman for the Minister of the Interior and Administration, Jacek Dobrzyński said that some witnesses of the attack on the campus of the University of Warsaw instead of intervening, made films. “The mass of people who witnessed this event did not intervene, we also noted such strange behaviors that some people made films, recording whole events,” said Dobrzyński. He emphasized at the time that according to him, the most terrifying and disturbing is that hardly anyone wanted to help.

Chancellor Robert Gray also referred to the matter for PAP for PAP, who said that for him “striking, even shocking” was that “some of the witnesses of the tragedy at the University of Warsaw showed indifferent, a great emotional chill and instead of reaching out to the victim, he reached for cell phones to take movies and photos.” “This is another topic to overwork: a technology that is to make life easier for us and more pleasant, cannot replace conscience” – he added in an interview of May 11. (PAP)

AKP/ ZAN/ LM/