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Assault on Ukrainian Teenager in Poland Sparks Hate Crime Investigation
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An investigation is underway in the Polish city of Olsztyn following an incident where adults reportedly assaulted a 14-year-old Ukrainian citizen.
Attorney Dawid Denert and the Consulate General of Ukraine in Gdansk reported that the teenager was insulted based on his nationality and faced death threats during the encounter, according to Hromadske on May 7.
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The attackers physically harmed the boy and forced him to kneel while shouting insults about his background. They reportedly threatened to kill him and transport him back to Ukraine in a car trunk if they encountered him again.
Reports suggest the event occurred during a holiday weekend in the Old Town area. Local sources indicate the situation began when the victim’s 12-year-old brother and a friend attempted to introduce themselves to a group of Polish girls.
A disagreement followed where the girls allegedly insulted and shoved the younger boys. When the 14-year-old intervened to protect his brother, one girl reportedly struck him in the face. The group then called older acquaintances, estimated to be between 20 and 30 years old, who carried out the assault.
The teenager required two days of hospital treatment for his injuries. A police report has been filed, and Denert noted that the suspects have been identified and that video evidence and witnesses are available.
“As a lawyer I will seek to have this case treated with the utmost seriousness — not only as the beating of a child, but also as a possible hate crime committed on national grounds. There is no consent for children to be beaten, humiliated and intimidated just because they are from Ukraine,” Denert said.
The Ukrainian Consulate is monitoring the situation and maintains contact with the boy's mother. Officials confirmed the child received necessary medical attention and have sent formal letters to Polish authorities requesting a fair investigation and punishment for those responsible.
“We condemn and oppose cases of any violence, there should be no place for criminal acts and discrimination against people, regardless of nationality, citizenship, gender and age. Respect for human rights and dignity, especially of children, should be a priority for the work of all authorities,” the consulate stated.
In February 2026, Polish President Karol Nawrocki signed a new law that integrated aid for people fleeing Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine into the general Law on the Protection of Foreigners.
This legislation ended the separate legal framework that had been in place since 2022 and required Ukrainians to apply for a PESEL identification number within 30 days of arrival to maintain their temporary protection.
President Nawrocki noted that this would be the final time a specific aid law was signed, as the government moved to treat Ukrainian refugees the same as other national minorities.
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