Thousands march in Kraków to honour shooting victims

Thousands of people joined a silent march in Kraków on Monday night to honour those killed and injured in the weekend shooting, as Poland’s president and prime minister appeared together despite their political rivalry.

The procession passed through the city centre to the historic Market Square, where people left flowers and candles at memorials marking where victims died. A bugler played from the square’s tower as the crowd arrived.

Six people were killed in the attack and around a dozen wounded, according to BBC News. The suspect, 24-year-old Michał Oksiński, died in hospital on Monday after being critically injured in a shoot-out with police.

The shooting has prompted conflicting claims about the suspect’s possible political motives. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński initially said Oksiński was driven by far-right extremist views. The national prosecutor’s office has since said it is too soon to say he was inspired by any ideology.

The silent march after the shooting brought Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Karol Nawrocki together at the memorial. BBC correspondent Sarah Rainsford reported that the attack had shaken a country proud of its reputation for safety.