Polish Justice Minister Links Krakow Gunman to Norway's Breivik
Authorities in Poland state that evidence suggests the suspect in the fatal Krakow shooting was influenced by right-wing extremism and the legacy of Anders Behring Breivik.
By Larissa Bell ·
Poland’s justice minister has stated that the man responsible for a deadly shooting in Krakow was likely driven by right-wing extremism. Waldemar Zurek announced on Tuesday that investigators found strong indications linking the gunman to the ideology of Anders Behring Breivik, the Norwegian neo-Nazi who carried out mass killings in 2011.
The incident occurred on November 7, when a suspect opened fire in Krakow’s historic main square, a popular tourist destination. The attack left six people dead and shocked the nation. Police shot and arrested the suspect minutes after he began firing from his vehicle. He was identified as Michal Oksinski, a 24-year-old factory worker, who died in a hospital on Monday.
Zurek detailed several pieces of evidence discovered in the suspect’s possession and vehicle. Among the items found was a silencer, a device used to reduce the sound of gunfire. Investigators also located a Gadsden flag, which features a rattlesnake on a yellow background. This flag dates back to the US Civil War era and is frequently associated with the American far right.
The connection to Breivik was highlighted by the discovery of websites related to the Norwegian killer on the suspect’s digital devices. Breivik gained notoriety in July 2011 when he killed eight people with a car bomb in Oslo. He subsequently shot and killed 69 others, mostly teenagers, at a Labour Party youth camp on the island of Utoeya. His manifesto and actions have since become a reference point for various white-supremacist movements.
The attack in Krakow also claimed the lives of Oksinski’s immediate family members. His father, mother, and sister were found dead in their family home on Saturday. Officials indicated that they were likely also victims of Oksinski’s actions, adding to the tragedy of the event.
The suspect’s motives have triggered a significant political debate in Poland. The controversy began on Saturday, just hours after the shooting, when Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski stated that the gunman had been influenced by far-right ideology. This early assessment led to immediate reactions from opposition parties.
Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of the nationalist opposition Law and Justice party, criticized the government’s initial statement. He described Kierwinski’s comments as a blatant lie. Following this, members of the government appeared to soften their stance on Monday, suggesting a more cautious approach to declaring the motive before all evidence was reviewed.
Tensions remained high as Justice Minister Zurek provided further details on Tuesday. His comments regarding the strong indication of right-wing extremism drew sharp criticism from right-wing lawmakers. Michal Wojcik, a lawmaker from the Law and Justice party, expressed outrage to the Reuters news agency.
Wojcik argued that the Polish government was acting dishonestly toward the international community by making definitive claims about the ideology behind the attack. He felt that the timing and nature of the statements were problematic for the country’s diplomatic standing.
Despite the political friction, Interior Minister Kierwinski maintained his position in an interview with public radio on Tuesday. He stated that he was not retracting his initial remarks. Instead, he explained that the ministry was waiting for the formal findings from investigators to confirm the details of the suspect’s motivations.
