The Latest: Polish mayor in serious condition after stabbing

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The latest on the stabbing of the mayor of Gdansk, Poland (all times local):

A doctor in Poland says Gdansk Mayor Pawel Adamowicz has undergone five hours of surgery after being stabbed onstage during the finale of a charity fundraiser.

Dr. Tomasz Stefaniak at the Medical University of Gdansk told reporters early Monday that "the patient is alive but is in a very serious condition."

He says Adamowicz suffered wounds to the heart and abdomen when a man rushed on stage during the event Sunday night and stabbed him.

Stefaniak says that "the next hours will decide everything." He appealed for Poles to offer thoughts and prayers for the mayor.

The suspected attacker has been arrested.

Polish broadcaster TVN says the assailant shouted from the stage that he had been wrongly imprisoned under a previous national government led by Civic Platform, a party to which the mayor formerly belonged.

Poland's interior minister says the mayor of Gdansk is in very serious condition after he was stabbed while on stage during the finale of a large charity event Sunday.

Gdansk Mayor Pawel Adamowicz was attacked at the fundraising event organized by the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, Poland's most important charity.

Interior Minister Joachim Brudzinski says Adamowicz has been hospitalized in very serious condition. He says a suspect was arrested.

Polish broadcaster TVN says the assailant shouted from the stage that he was wrongly imprisoned under the government of Civic Platform, a party to which the mayor formerly belonged.

A Polish private television broadcaster reports that a man has stabbed the mayor of the city of Gdansk.

TVN24 says 53-year-old Mayor Pawel Adamowicz was attacked by a man while he was on stage during the finale Sunday of a major charity event in the Baltic port city.

The broadcaster says the attacker was detained. Other Polish media say a knife was used in the attack.

No other details are immediately available.</s>Warsaw, Poland (AP) — A convicted criminal with a knife rushed on to the stage during the finale of a charity event Sunday night and stabbed a Polish mayor in the heart and abdomen before shouting that he did it for political revenge, in an attack that left doctors fighting to save the politician’s life.

Gdansk Mayor Pawel Adamowicz grabbed his belly and collapsed in front of the audience at the “Lights to Heaven” fundraiser organized by the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, the country’s most important charity.

Doctors reanimated Adamowicz on the spot and then transported him to Medical University of Gdansk, where he underwent five hours of surgery, said Dr. Tomasz Stefaniak, one of the doctors treating Adamowicz.

Almost seven hours after the assault, Stefaniak told reporters early Monday that “the patient is alive,” triggering applause, but added that the mayor remained “in a very serious condition.”

 “The next hours will decide everything,” Stefaniak said, appealing for thoughts and prayers for the popular mayor.

Polish media reported that a number of political officials and Gdansk Archbishop Slawoj Leszek Glod went to the hospital during the operation.

After the knife attack, the assailant shouted from the stage that he had been wrongly imprisoned under a previous national government led by Civic Platform, a party to which the mayor formerly belonged. He said his name was Stefan and that “I was jailed but innocent. … Civic Platform tortured me. That’s why Adamowicz just died.”

Police said the suspect was a 27-year-old with a criminal record and had carried out bank robberies. A police spokesman, Mariusz Ciarka, said the attacker appeared to have mental problems and gained access to the area with a media badge.

He was arrested and is under investigation.

TVN footage showed Adamowicz on stage with a sparkler in hand telling the audience that it had been a “wonderful day” and then the attacker came toward him. The mayor had been on the streets of his Baltic port city earlier in the day collecting money for the charity, along with volunteers around the country.

European Council President Donald Tusk, a former Polish prime minister who co-founded Civil Platform and is from Gdansk, wrote on Twitter: “Let’s all pray for Mayor Adamowicz. Pawel, we are with you.”

The head of the charity, Jerzy Owsiak, is a liberal critic of Poland’s current right-wing government. He blamed what he described as an atmosphere of hate under the ruling Law and Justice party for the attack on the mayor.

Adamowicz, 53, has been mayor of Gdansk since 1998. He was part of the democratic opposition born in that city under the leadership of Lech Walesa during the 1980s. After leaving Civic Platform, he was re-elected to a sixth term as an independent candidate in the fall.

As mayor, he has been a progressive voice, supporting LGBT rights and tolerance for minorities. He marched in last year’s gay pride parade, a rare action for a mayor in Poland.

He also showed solidarity with the Jewish community when the city’s synagogue had its windows broken last year, strongly denouncing the vandalism.

“Horrified by the brutal attack on Gdansk mayor Pawel Adamowicz,” said Frans Timmermans, a Dutch politician and leading European Union official. “Hope and pray he will recover. A great leader of his city and a true humanitarian.”

The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity raises money to buy state-of-the-art medical equipment for Poland’s cash-strapped state hospitals, mostly for children.

The last attack on a politician in Poland was in 2010 in Lodz. A man shouting that he wanted to kill Law and Justice party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski fatally shot an aide to one of the party’s lawmakers to the European Parliament. A second man was stabbed and injured.

At the time Law and Justice was in the opposition and Kaczynski blamed the attack at an “atmosphere of hate” under the rival party, Civic Platform.</s>The mayor of one of Poland's biggest cities is fighting for his life after being stabbed at a charity event in front of thousands of horrified onlookers.

Pawel Adamowicz, of Gdansk, was onstage during the Light To Heaven event's finale when a man ran up to him shouting, according to witness reports.

Panicked bodyguards are seen rushing to give the 53-year-old first aid, and reports state he was given CPR before being taken to hospital for emergency surgery.

The attacker reportedly grabbed a microphone and told the crowd he had previously been wrongly imprisoned.

The wound, inflicted at around 8pm, is said to be in the vicinity of Mr Adamowicz's heart.

Initial reports claimed he had been struck with a sharp weapon at least twice.

Joachim Brudzinski, a member of the Polish parliament, described it on Twitter as a "barbaric" attack.

And Polish President Mateusz Morawiecki wrote: "The attack on Pawel Adamowicz is worthy of the highest condemnation."

According to Radio Gdansk, the attacker has been arrested, but it is not yet known who he is.

The event was held in aid of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity - the biggest charity organisation in the country.

According to Wyborcza, the attacker grabbed a microphone and claimed to have been held in prison despite his innocence.

He reportedly shouted: "My name is Stefan. I was in prison, despite my innocence. I was tortured."

The mayor had just delivered a speech when he was attacked, onlookers said.

Police on the scene overpowered the man.

Mr Adamowicz, who is married with two children, has been mayor of the city since 1998.

Police spokesman Mariusz Ciarka said that a man had been detained and taken to a local police station, Wiadomsci reports.

Unconfirmed reports state that the suspect is 27 years old, but officials have yet to reveal any details about him.</s>A Polish mayor has died in hospital a day after being stabbed in the chest at a charity event, the authorities have said.

Pawel Adamowicz, the mayor of Gdansk, was on stage when he was attacked.

Witnesses said the 53-year-old was holding his stomach immediately afterwards.

Polish police confirmed last night they had detained a suspect following the incident.

According to Wyborcza, the attacker grabbed a microphone and told the crowd that he was falsely put in prison.

He reportedly shouted: ‘My name is Stefan. I was in prison, despite my innocence. I was tortured.’

The mayor had just finished delivering a speech when the man ran on stage, onlookers said.

Interior minister Joachim Brudzinski wrote online that the attack had been an act of ‘inexcusable barbarity’.

The president of the European Council Donald Tusk, who is from Gdansk, has paid tribute to his ‘good friend’.

He wrote: ‘Paweł Adamowicz, Mayor of Gdańsk, a man of Solidarity and freedom, a European, my good friend, has been murdered.

Mr Adamowicz had been the mayor of Gdansk, one of Poland’s largest cities, since 1998.

In 2014, he also became the recipient of the Cross of Freedom and Solidarity to honour his contributions to the democratic opposition in Poland during the Communist Period.</s>Mayor of Gdansk Pawel Adamowicz is in a critical condition after being stabbed at a charity event. The long-time mayor was standing on stage when a man rushed towards him and stabbed him with a knife. The suspect is reported to have shouted that he spent five years in prison because of the mayor’s former political party, Civic Platform. The man has been detained and Adamowicz is undergoing surgery.</s>The Latest: Polish mayor in serious condition after stabbing

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The latest on the stabbing of the mayor of Gdansk, Poland (all times local):

A doctor in Poland says Gdansk Mayor Pawel Adamowicz has undergone five hours of surgery after being stabbed onstage during the finale of a charity fundraiser.

Dr. Tomasz Stefaniak at the Medical University of Gdansk told reporters early Monday that "the patient is alive but is in a very serious condition."

He says Adamowicz suffered wounds to the heart and abdomen when a man rushed on stage during the event Sunday night and stabbed him.

Stefaniak says that "the next hours will decide everything." He appealed for Poles to offer thoughts and prayers for the mayor.

The suspected attacker has been arrested.

Polish broadcaster TVN says the assailant shouted from the stage that he had been wrongly imprisoned under a previous national government led by Civic Platform, a party to which the mayor formerly belonged.

Poland's interior minister says the mayor of Gdansk is in very serious condition after he was stabbed while on stage during the finale of a large charity event Sunday.

Gdansk Mayor Pawel Adamowicz was attacked at the fundraising event organized by the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, Poland's most important charity.

Interior Minister Joachim Brudzinski says Adamowicz has been hospitalized in very serious condition. He says a suspect was arrested.

Polish broadcaster TVN says the assailant shouted from the stage that he was wrongly imprisoned under the government of Civic Platform, a party to which the mayor formerly belonged.

A Polish private television broadcaster reports that a man has stabbed the mayor of the city of Gdansk.

TVN24 says 53-year-old Mayor Pawel Adamowicz was attacked by a man while he was on stage during the finale Sunday of a major charity event in the Baltic port city.

The broadcaster says the attacker was detained. Other Polish media say a knife was used in the attack.

No other details are immediately available.</s>WARSAW, Poland — A convicted criminal with a knife rushed on to the stage during the finale of a charity event Sunday night and stabbed a Polish mayor in the heart and abdomen before shouting that he did it for political revenge, in an attack that left doctors fighting to save the politician's life.

Gdansk Mayor Pawel Adamowicz grabbed his belly and collapsed in front of the audience at the "Lights to Heaven" fundraiser organized by the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, the country's most important charity.

Doctors reanimated Adamowicz on the spot and then transported him to Medical University of Gdansk, where he underwent five hours of surgery, said Dr. Tomasz Stefaniak, one of the doctors treating Adamowicz.

Almost seven hours after the assault, Stefaniak told reporters early Monday that "the patient is alive," triggering applause, but added that the mayor remained "in a very serious condition."

"The next hours will decide everything," Stefaniak said, appealing for thoughts and prayers for the popular mayor.

A man is held on the ground by security personnel after he attacked the mayor of Gdansk during a charity event in Gdansk on January 13, 2019.

Polish media reported that a number of political officials and Gdansk Archbishop Slawoj Leszek Glod went to the hospital during the operation.

After the knife attack, the assailant shouted from the stage that he had been wrongly imprisoned under a previous national government led by Civic Platform, a party to which the mayor formerly belonged. He said his name was Stefan and that "I was jailed but innocent. ... Civic Platform tortured me. That's why Adamowicz just died."

Police said the suspect was a 27-year-old with a criminal record and had carried out bank robberies. A police spokesman, Mariusz Ciarka, said the attacker appeared to have mental problems and gained access to the area with a media badge.

He was arrested and is under investigation.

TVN footage showed Adamowicz on stage with a sparkler in hand telling the audience that it had been a "wonderful day" and then the attacker came toward him. The mayor had been on the streets of his Baltic port city earlier in the day collecting money for the charity, along with volunteers around the country.

European Council President Donald Tusk, a former Polish prime minister who co-founded Civil Platform and is from Gdansk, wrote on Twitter: "Let's all pray for Mayor Adamowicz. Pawel, we are with you."

The head of the charity, Jerzy Owsiak, is a liberal critic of Poland's current right-wing government. He blamed what he described as an atmosphere of hate under the ruling Law and Justice party for the attack on the mayor.

Adamowicz, 53, has been mayor of Gdansk since 1998. He was part of the democratic opposition born in that city under the leadership of Lech Walesa during the 1980s. After leaving Civic Platform, he was re-elected to a sixth term as an independent candidate in the fall.

As mayor, he has been a progressive voice, supporting LGBT rights and tolerance for minorities. He marched in last year's gay pride parade, a rare action for a mayor in Poland.

He also showed solidarity with the Jewish community when the city's synagogue had its windows broken last year, strongly denouncing the vandalism.

"Horrified by the brutal attack on Gdansk mayor Pawel Adamowicz," said Frans Timmermans, a Dutch politician and leading European Union official. "Hope and pray he will recover. A great leader of his city and a true humanitarian."

The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity raises money to buy state-of-the-art medical equipment for Poland's cash-strapped state hospitals, mostly for children.

The last attack on a politician in Poland was in 2010 in Lodz. A man shouting that he wanted to kill Law and Justice party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski fatally shot an aide to one of the party's lawmakers to the European Parliament. A second man was stabbed and injured.

At the time Law and Justice was in the opposition and Kaczynski blamed the attack at an "atmosphere of hate" under the rival party, Civic Platform.</s>WARSAW (Reuters) - Pawel Adamowicz, the liberal mayor of the Polish city of Gdansk, died on Monday of his wounds a day after being stabbed by a former convict who rushed the stage during a charity event.

“We couldn’t win,” Poland’s health minister Lukasz Szumowski told reporters via private broadcaster TVN. Doctors had operated on Adamowicz for five hours, state news agency PAP said.

Adamowicz was attacked while attending the annual Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, a fundraiser where volunteers collect money for medical equipment in hospitals. The head of the charity resigned soon after Adamowicz’s death was announced.

Television footage of the attack showed a man screaming “Adamowicz is dead!” as he rushed the stage and stabbed the mayor, who crumpled to the floor. Speaking on the stage before he was arrested, the attacker accused the mayor’s former party of putting him in prison, where he said he was tortured.

The attacker has been identified by Polish authorities as a 27-year-old named Stefan, who was released last month from prison where he had been serving a 5 1/2 year sentence since 2014 for attempting to steal from banks in Gdansk. His full name has so far been withheld.

Psychiatrists will now assess if the attacker can be held criminally responsible for his actions, prosecutor Krzysztof Sierak said at a press conference.

Politicians across the political spectrum in Poland condemned the stabbing, including members of the ruling nationalist Law and Justice Party (PiS), such as Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Interior Minister Joachim Brudzinski. Adamowicz was an outspoken opponent of PiS.

“I’m expressing great pain for the tragic death due to the criminal attack on mayor Pawel Adamowicz. We express solidarity with his family,” Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the PiS leader, was quoted as saying in a tweet from the party spokeswoman.

Polish President Andrzej Duda will meet with political party leaders on Monday to organize a march against violence and hatred in the wake of the attack.

Adamowicz stood out for his initiatives to encourage migrants to seek refuge in the northern Polish city, and for his support of a protest campaign to defend the rule of law in Poland against what activists consider efforts by the PiS to increase its control over the judiciary and other bodies.

Adamowicz was one of Poland’s longest-serving mayors, holding his position in Gdansk since 1998. In the 2018 regional election, he won 65 percent of votes.</s>A Polish mayor who was left fighting for his life after he was stabbed on stage during a charity event has died of stab wounds.

Pawel Adamowicz, the mayor of the Polish city of Gdansk, died after being stabbed on stage at a Polish charity event, Poland's health minister said today.

He grabbed his belly and collapsed in front of the audience after he was attacked with a sharp tool last night.

The attacker reportedly shouted from the stage that he had been wrongly imprisoned when the mayor's former party was in power.

'That's why Adamowicz dies,' the attacker said as he brandished a five-and-a-half inch knife (14.5cm) knife.

The liberal mayor was attacked while attending the annual Great Orchestra of Christmas charity, a fundraiser where volunteers collect money for medical equipment in hospitals.

Television footage showed a man screaming 'Adamowicz is dead!' as he rushed the stage and stabbed the mayor.

Speaking on the stage before he was arrested, the man accused the mayor's former party of putting him in prison and said he was tortured.

Doctors operated on Adamowicz for five hours after the incident, Poland's state news agency PAP said.

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Krzysztof Sierak said today five prosecutors have so far questioned 20 witnesses and are preparing to question the 27-year-old suspect who lived in the city.

Sierak said there are 'doubts' as to the mental state of the attacker, who will undergo a psychiatric examination from two psychiatrists.

Prosecutors are also looking into the level of security at Sunday's public event which was the 27th annual festive collection for the popular charity.

Polish Justice Minister, Zbigniew Ziobro, says prosecutors are looking closely at the trial five years ago of the man accused of stabbing the mayor of Gdansk and wounding him severely.

The suspect in last night's stabbing was convicted of involvement in bank robberies and served the 5-year prison term in full.

Mr Ziobro, who is also the country's chief prosecutor, said Monday the term was not very high given the crime, and noted the man was refused parole three times.

Ziobro, a prominent figure in the right-wing government, said he found no words to describe the 'evil' of this 'terrible event.'

He said the thoughts and prayers of everyone were with Mr Adamowicz's family, and expressed hope that his life will be saved, but said everything is in the hands of 'providence.'

Poland's president said he had initially been told 'there is hope' for the mayor's survival after doctors reanimated his heart, but said his condition was 'very difficult'.

But a doctor earlier today said he lost a lot of blood and suffered oxygen deprivation in a knife attack.

'Despite all our efforts, we failed to save him,' Doctor Tomasz Stefaniak, director of Gdansk's University hospital said, quoted by the Polish PAP news agency.

The mayor underwent five hours of surgery after suffering wounds to his heart and internal organs after the attack by an ex-convict who said it was political revenge on a party Adamowicz formerly belonged to.

Politicians across the political spectrum in Poland condemned the stabbing, including members of the ruling nationalist Law and Justice Party (PiS), such as Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Interior Minister Joachim Brudzinski. Adamowicz was known as an opponent of PiS.

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the country's ruling party leader was quoted as saying in a tweet from the party spokeswoman, said: 'I'm expressing great pain for the tragic death due to the criminal attack on mayor Pawel Adamowicz. We express solidarity with his family.'

Polish President Andrzej Duda will meet with political party leaders today to organise a march against violence and hatred in the wake of the attack.

Adamowicz stood out for his initiatives to encourage migrants to seek refuge in the northern Polish city, and for his support of a protest campaign defending the rule of law in Poland against PiS efforts to increase its control over the judiciary and other bodies.

Adamowicz was one of Poland's longest-serving mayors, holding his position in Gdansk since 1998. In the 2018 regional election, he won 65 per cent of votes.

Anti-violence rallies are being planned nationwide after Sunday's shock attack on Mayor Pawel Adamowicz.

Lukasz Szumowski told local press, according to private broadcaster TVN: 'We couldn't win.'

Interior minister Joachim Brudzinski last night called the stabbing, 'an act of inexplicable barbarity'.

Medical officials appealed for blood donations as Mr Adamowicz was taken to a hospital where he underwent surgery last night.

A Polish broadcaster said a man had rushed on stage at around 8pm and said the mayor was seen holding his belly.

Radio Gdansk reported that Mr Adamowicz was stabbed near his heart as the attacker shouted from the stage.

Adamowicz later underwent surgery, deputy mayor Piotry Grzelak was quoted as saying by the PAP news agency.

Earlier he boasted on Facebook that he hadd raised £5,000 for the event.

'Thank you sincerely everyone who threw money into my can and helped beat my personal record,' Mr Adamowicz wrote.

Mr Adamowicz has been mayor of Gdansk, a port city on the Baltic coast, since 1998.

He was part of the democratic opposition born in the city under the leadership of Lech Walesa during the 1980s which helped to bring down the Communist regime.

As mayor, he is seen as a progressive voice and has supported LGBT rights and tolerance for minorities.

He showed solidarity with the Jewish community when the city's synagogue had its windows broken last year, strongly denouncing the vandalism.

European Council President Donald Tusk, a former Polish prime minister, wrote on Twitter: 'Let's all pray for Mayor Adamowicz. Pawel, we are with you.'

President Andrzej Duda said yesterday that while he and the mayor have had political differences, 'today I am unconditionally with him and his loved ones, just as - I hope - all of us compatriots are. I pray for his return to health and full strength'.

The fundraising event was organised by the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, Poland's most important charity.

It raises money for medical equipment Poland's cash-strapped health care system has trouble providing.</s>WARSAW, Poland — The mayor of a city in Poland was in very serious condition after he was stabbed on stage Sunday during the finale of a large charity event, and Polish media reported details that gave the attack a political element.

Gdansk Mayor Pawel Adamowicz was attacked with a knife while he stood on stage, held his belly and collapsed during the "Lights to Heaven" fundraiser organized by the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, Poland's most important charity.

Polish President Andrzej Duda said he was informed that "doctors succeeded in reanimating the heart of the seriously injured Mayor Pawel Adamowicz and there is hope, but his condition is very difficult." He called on people to pray for the mayor.

Polish broadcaster TVN reported that the suspected assailant shouted from the stage that he was imprisoned under a previous national government led by Civic Platform, a party to which the mayor formerly belonged, despite being innocent. He was arrested.

Several Polish media outlets, including Rzeczpospolita, reported that the man yelled after stabbing Adamowicz: "Hello! Hello! My name is Stefan, I was jailed but innocent. ... Civic Platform tortured me, that's why Adamowicz just died."

Police said he was a 27-year-old with a criminal record and had carried out bank robberies.

Radio Gdansk reported that Adamowicz was stabbed in the area of his heart, but did not cite its source, while Rzeczpospolita described his condition as "critical," citing unnamed sources. A spokesman for the hospital called his condition "very serious."

TVN footage showed Adamowicz on stage just before the attack with a sparkler in hand telling the audience that it had been a "wonderful day" and then the attacker coming toward him.

European Council President Donald Tusk, a former Polish prime minister who co-founded Civil Platform and is from Gdansk, wrote on Twitter: "Let's all pray for Mayor Adamowicz. Pawel, we are with you."

The head of the charity, Jerzy Owsiak, is a liberal critic of Poland's current right-wing government. He blamed what he described as an atmosphere of hate under the ruling Law and Justice party for the attack on the mayor.

Owsiak referred to being personally depicted in a defamatory manner in an animation that ran on state TV last week and that also had anti-Semitic overtones.

The animation showed Owsiak as a clay figure being manipulated by a leading Civic Platform official who seized piles of cash that he collected, apparently suggesting the charity was a ruse to raise money for the opposition party. A Star of David was on one of the banknotes. The broadcaster apologized after the animation triggered an outcry.

Adamowicz, 53, has been mayor of Gdansk, a Baltic port city, since 1998. He was part of the democratic opposition born in that city under the leadership of Lech Walesa during the 1980s. After leaving Civic Platform, he was re-elected to a sixth term as an independent candidate in the fall.

As mayor, he has been a progressive voice, supporting LGBT rights and tolerance for minorities. He marched in last year's gay pride parade, a rare action for a mayor in Poland.

He also showed solidarity with the Jewish community when the city's synagogue had its windows broken last year, strongly denouncing the vandalism.

"Horrified by the brutal attack on Gdansk mayor Pawel Adamowicz," said Frans Timmermans, a Dutch politician and leading European Union official. "Hope and pray he will recover. A great leader of his city and a true humanitarian."

The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity raises money for state-of-the-art medical equipment for Poland's cash-strapped health care system, mostly for children but also for the elderly.
A man stabs the Mayor of Gdańsk, Paweł Adamowicz, on stage at a Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity event in Gdańsk, Poland.