MORE THAN 20,000 POLICEMEN DEPLOYED TO SCHOOLS AFTER SERIES OF ATTACKS

WARSAW, OCTOBER 12 /SRNA–Reuters/ - Polish police announced a major security crackdown in schools following three recent knife attacks, with more than 20,000 police officers deployed to schools across the country to ensure the safety of pupils and teachers.

"It is necessary to send a clear message: there will be no tolerance for any attacks on Polish children or for turning public life into anarchy," Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński told state television channel TVP Info.

He added that, since Friday, October 9, police had carried out inspections at 80,000 educational institutions and detained 135 people over violations or suspicions of inciting violence.

The authorities dismissed rumors that the attacks were linked to an online challenge or an organized group, but Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said at a crisis management meeting on Sunday that the glorification of Nazi ideology and a "cult of strength" online, as well as violent video games, were having a harmful effect on young people.