Pawel Adamowicz, a 53-year-old mayor of the Polish city of Gdansk, lost the battle against the fatal injury he suffered on Sunday, when he was attacked on the stage of the Light To Heaven charity event by a 27-year-old. Immediately after the stabbing, Mr Adamowicz was taken to hospital for serious abdominal injuries and underwent a five-hour surgery. Lukasz Szumowski, the health minister of Poland, delivered the sad news on Monday, telling local media: “We couldn’t win”.
The President of the European Council and Polish national, Donald Tusk, expressed his condolences.
Praising the mayor and revealing he was a “good friend”, he wrote on Twitter: “Paweł Adamowicz, Mayor of Gdańsk, a man of Solidarity and freedom, a European, my good friend, has been murdered. May he rest in peace.”
The attacker, who has previous criminal record, has been arrested.
Police spokesman Mariusz Ciarka said the young man appeared to have mental health problems.
According to early police reports, the attacker gained access to the stage thanks to a media badge.
And Polish broadcaster TVN said he shouted from the stage, saying he had been wrongly imprisoned by the previous Government.
After the attack, Mr Szumowski took to Twitter to denounce the vile act.
He wrote: “The attack on the Lord President Pawel Adamowicz is barbarism.
“In my thoughts and prayer I support the Lord President and the team fighting for his health and life.”
Other ministers condemned the action and came together to support Mr Adamowicz.
Interior minister Joachim Brudzinski branded the act an “inexcusable barbarity”.
And Poland’s prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki tweeted: “The attack on life and health of Pawel Adamowicz is worthy of the highest condemnation.”
The event attended by the mayor was set up to foundraise money for medical equipment for Poland’s healthcare system.
MORE TO FOLLOW