Hundreds gathered at the coffin of murdered liberal mayor Pawel Adamowicz in the port city of Gdansk on Thursday as it lay in state in the museum of the Solidarity movement that helped bring down communism in Poland.
Adamowicz's coffin was draped in Gdansk's scarlet coat of arms as about 2,500 people, according to police, queued after dark amid freezing wind to pay their respects. Candles placed in the shape of a giant heart stood in front of the museum.
Adamowicz, a critic of the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party and its anti-immigrant policies, was stabbed on Sunday evening by a man who rushed the stage during a charity event. He died the following day.
Polish authorities have arrested a 27-year-old former convict named Stefan W. in connection with the murder. His full name has so far been withheld.
Police detained at least 10 people in recent days over calls on social media to murder and acts of aggression made in the wake of Adamowicz's death.
The incidents reflect the charged political atmosphere in a number of European countries, including Poland and Hungary, where populist leaders have fanned nationalist and anti-immigrant sentiment.
Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 News in English, Reuters