DistantNews
Support us
Attacks on Ukrainians Rise in Poland, Police Data Alarms
๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ Poland /Crime & Justice

Attacks on Ukrainians Rise in Poland, Police Data Alarms

From Rzeczpospolita · () Polish

Translated from Polish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Context piece
  • Police statistics in Poland show a significant increase in hate crime reports against Ukrainians, with a 30% rise in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year.
  • Political rhetoric and disinformation are identified as contributing factors to the growing hostility, with politicians from various parties exchanging blame for the "brutalization of public life."
  • The article highlights an incident where two young Ukrainian girls were verbally abused on a bus, leading to the arrest of the perpetrator, a bus driver accused of nationalistic insults.

A recent incident involving the verbal abuse of two young Ukrainian girls on a bus in Bielsko-Biaล‚a has brought renewed attention to rising anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Poland. A 54-year-old bus driver allegedly insulted the 11-year-old girls, an act captured on video by one of the children. The driver, who reportedly had prior altercations with passengers, was arrested and charged with public insult based on nationality, admitting guilt but with undisclosed motives.

Kaczyล„ski, Braun, or Czarnek are doing a lot to spread the brown wave across Poland. Victims are both Poles and foreigners. I have a message for all those who have indulged in hatred: the police will always react decisively. Zero tolerance!

โ€” Marcin Kierwiล„skiMinister of Interior, blaming opposition politicians for inciting hatred.

This event has ignited a political firestorm, with Polish politicians trading accusations. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiล„ski blamed opposition figures for fostering a "brown wave" of hatred, while Education Minister Barbara Nowacka urged politicians to apologize for their rhetoric. Opposition politicians, in turn, blamed the current government for the "brutalization of public life."

Official statistics from the Polish police reveal a disturbing trend: the first half of 2026 saw 180 reports of hate crimes against Ukrainians, a significant increase of over 30% compared to the same period in 2025 and nearly 35% compared to 2024. If this trend continues, the total number of reported incidents could reach 360 by the end of the year.

Czarnek, Kowalski, Braun, and the rest are now reaping the grim fruits of their persecution of refugees. You should apologize and stop immediately. Can you?

โ€” Barbara NowackaMinister of Education, criticizing politicians for their anti-refugee rhetoric.

While the police data indicates a rise in reported aggression, the article suggests this could also reflect increased vigilance and willingness among Ukrainians to report incidents. The perpetrator in the bus incident was released on police supervision and dismissed from his job, facing up to three years in prison for the offense.

Taking out one's anger and frustration on random people is evil, regardless of the context, and especially towards women or children. Let's remember to react in such situations, not just watch or record.

โ€” Krzysztof BosakLeader of Konfederacja, condemning the act of aggression.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Rzeczpospolita in Polish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog