Attack on Ukrainian girls on bus in Bielsko-Biała. Driver verbally and physically assaulted passengers
A 54-year-old bus driver in Bielsko-Biała verbally and physically attacked Ukrainian girls, using vulgar and xenophobic slurs. The man was detained.
Attack on Ukrainian girls on bus in Bielsko-Biała. Driver verbally and physically assaulted passengers
On Sunday in Bielsko-Biała, an aggressive incident occurred on a municipal bus. A 54-year-old man, a driver for the same transport company, currently on extended medical leave, verbally and physically assaulted Ukrainian girls.
In footage that circulated on social media, a smartly dressed middle-aged man can be seen shouting and swearing, telling the girls to "fuck off to Ukraine". The attacker also lunges at a woman who comes to the children's defence. One of the girls attempts to defend herself, another asks the man not to touch her, but he only becomes more enraged.
The bus company provided police with footage from monitoring cameras, which made it possible to establish the perpetrator's identity. Local police stated that xenophobia would not be tolerated.
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński assured that the state would respond firmly to all forms of aggression.
The video sparked a wave of outrage on the internet. Many Ukrainian users emphasised that such insults in Poland are neither new nor a rare occurrence.
The incident prompted a response from Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrij Sybiha, who informed on Facebook that the man had already been detained.
"The bus 'hero' fought with words against children and women. It required neither great intelligence nor courage," wrote the head of Ukrainian diplomacy.
According to him, the Ukrainian side appealed to Polish law enforcement authorities requesting an appropriate response to the man's inappropriate behaviour and the denigration of Ukrainians' dignity on account of nationality.
"At this point the person is already detained. We thank Polish law enforcement for their swift and fair response. Such aggression and hatred cannot be tolerated in a European democratic society and state," Sybiha emphasised.
The head of Ukrainian diplomacy also called on some Polish politicians to cease stoking hatred towards Ukraine and Ukrainians, which encourages anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Polish society.
The perpetrator of the attack was detained. The incident was extensively covered by the portal 15min.lt.
Source: 15min