Poland deploys over 20,000 police to schools after spate of stabbing attacks

A major police operation was underway in Poland ​on Monday to ensure security in ​schools after three recent stabbing attacks, ‌as ​Prime Minister Donald Tusk vowed to confront what he described as a growing trend of youth violence. Authorities have dismissed rumours that the ‌attacks were linked to an online challenge or organised group, but Tusk told a crisis meeting on Sunday that the glorification of violence in some corners of the internet was having a damaging effect ‌on young people.

"We have observed a rise in the fascination with violence, both in Poland and ‌worldwide... we are witnessing a grim trend of violence," he said, adding that content promoting Nazi ideology and a "cult of strength", as well as violent computer games, were major factors. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said late on Sunday that more ⁠than ​20,000 police officers would ⁠be deployed to schools on Monday.

"A clear message is required: there will be no tolerance for any attacks on Polish ⁠children, nor for the descent of public life into anarchy," he told state news channel TVP Info. Police ​said on Monday that they had inspected 80,000 educational institutions and detained 135 people ⁠since Friday.

In one incident, police said a boy created a model of his school in the Roblox game and ⁠simulated ​attacks on students. He was found to possess a firearm, ammunition and knives. The latest attack occurred on Saturday, when three people were injured at a further education college in Warsaw, ⁠Poland's third stabbing attack at an educational institution in four days.

On Thursday, a 15-year-old former pupil wearing ⁠a helmet-mounted camera killed ⁠a caretaker and injured two teachers at a primary school in Leszczydol-Nowiny, northeast of Warsaw. On Wednesday, a 19-year-old wounded 10 people including himself at ‌a school in ‌Ostroleka, north of the capital.