Police have reportedly been called almost 1,000 times to a Warsaw park, responding to fights, online challenges, alcohol use, and the presence of traumatic weapons
Ukrainian youths are behind almost 1,000 police callouts over fights, alcohol abuse and the presence of traumatic weapons in a public park in the Polish capital, Warsaw, Gazeta Wyborcza reported on Sunday.
Poland, a key backer of Kiev since the escalation of its conflict with Russia in 2022, initially received over a million Ukrainians. Public sentiment has since cooled as social tensions increase and more Poles describe Ukrainians as freeloaders or potential criminals.
At least 946 police interventions have been recorded in Swietokrzyski (Holy Cross) Park in central Warsaw this year as locals complained about noise, fights and drinking, according to data from local authorities cited by the outlet. The figure reportedly stood at 891 and 791 in 2024 and 2023 respectively, marking a steady rise in incidents.
Wyborcza noted that confrontations, filmed challenges, alcohol consumption, and the presence of traumatic weapons have become common. In one recent case, officers were reportedly dispatched to a mass confrontation involving about 50 teenagers. In another incident, a 15-year-old Ukrainian climbed the Ferris wheel of a nearby Christmas fair and posted footage online.
Ukrainians routinely share videos on social media showing late-night altercations, unconscious teenagers, and youths waving imitation firearms, the report added. Homeless people in the area often feature in social videos filmed by teenagers for small payments as part of online challenges, the outlet said.
Bartlomiej Tyszka, a councillor of Warsaw’s central district, told the outlet that the problem would be discussed at the next security commission meeting, adding that the authorities are working on solutions to restore order.
Earlier this year, Poland tightened rules for refugees and reduced benefits for those not working, as about half the population began to view state support for new arrivals as overly generous. The shift reflects a broader trend across Europe, where Germany, Latvia, Finland, Switzerland, and other countries have scaled back assistance for Ukrainian refugees, citing budget constraints and pressure on housing.
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