Blackbeard emblem worn by Kraków attacker: military symbol and pop culture
Michał Oksiński, who carried out the attack that resulted in six deaths in Kraków, wore an emblem associated with American special forces. Investigators are checking his online connections and extremist activity.
The symbol on the Kraków attacker's clothing, linked to special forces and pirate Blackbeard
A skeleton with horns, holding an hourglass in one hand and a spear piercing a bloodied heart in the other — this is the emblem identified on the equipment of Michał Oksiński, the 24-year-old who killed six people and injured dozens of others in Kraków. ProTV News reports that Polish journalists analysed the meaning of this symbol, discovering that it has roots in Western military culture.
The emblem's origins: piracy and special forces
According to Polish publication Onet, the emblem worn by Oksiński during the attack is a type of morale patch used by certain elite military units. The symbol is associated with the flag of pirate Edward Teach, known as Blackbeard (approximately 1680–1718), one of the most famous pirates in history. The flag was designed to frighten sailors on attacked ships and compel them to surrender without resistance. Its modern representation appeared only in a 1912 publication, and the connection to pirate Blackbeard was established several decades later.
Each element of the emblem has a distinct meaning. The skeleton with horns represents death, associated with a demon or the devil. The hourglass suggests that the adversary's time has run out, and the spear piercing the heart conveys the idea of absolute lack of mercy towards the enemy, foreboding violent death. Drops of blood symbolise blood shed by this force.
From SEAL Team 3 to global tactical culture
The "Blackbeard" emblem was initially used by SEAL Team 3 of the American Navy, and was later adopted by other special forces units around the world. Currently, the symbol circulates widely in the form of a "morale patch" — a military-specific badge frequently worn by both soldiers and tactical equipment enthusiasts. It can express cruelty and tenacity in combat, readiness to face any situation, or a rebellious attitude towards hierarchy. In tactical culture, it is sometimes associated with the slogan "I do not take prisoners."
A version of the symbol is used by Forward Observations Group (FOG), an American brand and community focused on tactical equipment and military lifestyle. The group was founded by Derrick Bales, a former infantryman and veteran of missions in Afghanistan. Its members include veterans of American armed forces, including former members of special operations units. FOG commercialises tactical equipment with its own insignias and has a significant presence on social media. Members of the group have travelled to Ukraine, Iraq and Syria, establishing contacts with local fighters and producing photo-video materials in conflict zones.
The emblem also appears in the context of the conflict in Ukraine, where it has been associated with foreign mercenaries fighting on the side of Kyiv, but also with members of Azov Assault Brigade.
Investigators seeking the motive for the attack
The symbol has since penetrated military pop culture and is used even by civilians — survival enthusiasts, players of military-themed video games, or practitioners of airsoft, a sport in which participants simulate military operations with replicas of firearms that fire plastic pellets.
For now, it is unclear why Oksiński, originally from Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, wore this emblem. Investigators are attempting to establish the motives that drove him to carry out the attack and are examining his background in detail. According to information obtained by Onet, officers from the Central Bureau for Combating Cyber Crime have also been involved in the investigation. They are checking whether the young man was part of extremist online groups, whether he expressed radical opinions on the internet, and whether there were any indications that he was preparing an attack of this kind.
Source: Știrile ProTV