A conflict erupted on a train traveling the Warsaw–Tłuszcz route, in which a Ukrainian teenager became the victim of an assault. The aggression of two men was stopped only thanks to the intervention of other passengers, who did not stand by and pushed the ringleaders of the fight out of the carriage.
The incident occurred near the Kobyłka-Osów station. According to police, two men aged 20 and 22 were involved in the conflict. Their victim was a 16-year-old Ukrainian citizen. The teenager himself admitted to law enforcement officers that he does not understand the reasons why they specifically targeted him.
Xenophobic slogans and passenger intervention
The situation in the carriage quickly got out of control. In footage that later appeared online, it can be seen how the attackers insulted and threatened the boy. Users commenting on the video report that the men chanted xenophobic slogans directed at Ukrainians and Belarusians.
However, the aggressors met with resistance. When one of them tried to approach a passenger filming the incident, he was stopped by other people in the carriage. The train conductor ordered the men to leave the carriage, which led to a physical altercation.
During the scuffle, one of the aggressors pushed the train conductor. In response, another passenger pushed the attacker directly out of the moving train. His accomplice was also neutralized by other people.
Official version and fines
After being detained, both men were tested for alcohol. It turned out that they were sober; tests for other substances were not conducted.
The police clarified that the mother of the injured teenager refused to file an official report and did not confirm that the incident had a nationalist background. Law enforcement officers also noted that they had not received official notifications about xenophobic shouts, as reported on the internet.
Ultimately, the men were fined for disturbing public order. The fine amount was 500 zlotys each.
Context: rising tension
The incident near Warsaw is not an isolated case. This is not the first such occurrence in Poland in recent times. Earlier in Wrocław, a court detained two men for three months, suspected of attacking a Ukrainian couple. They face a long prison sentence.
