Polish authorities have identified the woman who assaulted Ukrainian teenagers in Legnica
In a swift response, Polish law enforcement has apprehended a woman suspected of assaulting three minors in Legnica. The authorities collected substantial evidence against her, although details regarding her identity have not been disclosed.
The suspect has been brought to the district prosecutor’s office, where charges were formally presented under sections 2 of Article 157 and 1 of Article 119 of the Criminal Code. These laws address bodily harm and the use of violence or threats based on national, ethnic, or racial affiliation. Investigators noted the incident exhibited a hooligan character.
If convicted, the woman could face a prison sentence of up to seven years and six months. Currently, the prosecutor has imposed police supervision, prohibiting her from approaching the victims and a children’s playground on Polar Street, where the altercation occurred.
Law enforcement emphasized that they will not release detailed information regarding the incident to protect the minors involved and the integrity of the ongoing investigation.
Karolina Galecka, spokesperson for the Polish Ministry of Interior and Administration, reported that the attack involved two 13-year-old Ukrainian girls. The mother of one of the victims detailed the incident on Facebook, stating that the assailant struck her daughter and a boy who defended them. According to her account, the conflict initiated when the attacker objected to the teenagers speaking in Ukrainian. The assailant allegedly responded to inquiries about her actions by saying, “Because you are from Ukraine.”
Background
- Assaults on Ukrainians in Poland have reportedly increased recently, with an incident on July 11 involving an unknown assailant attacking a Polish individual, mistaking him for a Ukrainian.
- On July 13, TVN24 reported the arrest of a 54-year-old man in Bielsko-Biala for verbally abusing Ukrainian children on a bus and threatening them, resulting in formal charges.
- According to the National Police of Poland, as of July 17, Ukrainian residents have filed 180 reports of hate crimes this year, a 30% increase from the previous year.
- On July 21, Galecka announced the arrest of two suspects in Poznan for assaulting an elderly man who intervened on behalf of a Ukrainian.
