TUSK: LARGE POLICE PRESENCE IN SCHOOLS EASED TENSIONS

WARSAW, OCTOBER 12 /SRNA–Reuters/ – The large-scale deployment of police officers in schools across Poland has helped ease tensions, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said after three knife attacks in four days sparked fears of further violence.

“Our operations, and probably the passage of time, have led to a significant reduction in online tensions and risky situations,” Tusk said at an emergency meeting.

He added that the police operation would continue and the authorities would monitor the situation.

Police launched a large-scale security operation late last week after rumours spread online about a planned wave of knife attacks dubbed “Bloody Friday”, following violence at schools on Wednesday and Thursday.

The authorities dismissed rumours that the attacks were linked to an online challenge or an organised group. However, the government announced that the glorification of violence online was harmful to young people and that it was accelerating the adoption of legislation that would make it easier to remove harmful content.

Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said earlier that around 20,000 police officers had been deployed to schools today, meaning that approximately one-fifth of the national police force had been mobilised.

The authorities said the operation had resulted in 135 arrests and that police had taken action in response to threats and online posts related to violence.

Police Commander Marek Boron said the perpetrators were mostly young people inspired by last week’s attacks who had sought to attract attention online, while others had been influenced by video games or Nazi subcultures.