Polish police detain 135 in nationwide crackdown after school knife attacks

Polish police have detained 135 people and investigated more than 300 suspected criminal incidents as part of a nationwide security operation launched after a series of violent attacks at schools last week.

Police said on Monday that officers had inspected nearly 80,000 educational institutions since Friday, recording 311 incidents involving suspected criminal offenses.

“Police operations aimed at ensuring the safety of children, young people and all employees of educational institutions are continuing across Poland. Officers are monitoring the internet around the clock and responding to every report,” the police said in a statement.

The security crackdown follows three attacks with bladed weapons at schools in Poland’s Mazovia region last week that left one person dead and 14 others injured, raising fears of further violence and a possible online challenge encouraging copycat attacks.

However, Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said on Sunday that investigators had so far found “no links whatsoever” between the incidents, with no evidence that those involved had been in contact with one another.

Read more: TVP World