Polish Leaders Join Krakow Silent March to Honour Shooting Victims
Thousands of residents in Krakow, led by Poland's president and prime minister alongside local government officials and religious leaders, gathered for a silent march on Monday evening to honour the victims of a deadly mass shooting that occurred over the weekend.
The March of Silence commenced at 20:00 to the sound of the St Mary's bugle call. Participants assembled at the intersection of the Main Market Square and Sławkowska Street, where the first shots were fired during Saturday's attack. The procession walked towards St Mary's Basilica and concluded near the Town Hall Tower.
The event was organised following an invitation from the Mayor of Kraków, Łukasz Gibała. High-profile figures participating in the march included Polish President Karol Nawrocki, Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the Archbishop of Kraków Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś, Małopolska Region Governor Krzysztof Klęczar, and Regional Marshal Łukasz Smółka.
Ahead of the march, Mayor Gibała urged residents on social media to show solidarity during the city's difficult time. Prime Minister Tusk also posted on X, stating that thousands of Poles had gathered in Krakow to pay tribute to those lost in the 7 November attack.
Commemorative Ceremony and Citywide Mourning
In accordance with plans announced prior to the event, no public speeches or addresses were delivered during or after the march. Instead, the ceremony focused on quiet remembrance, with candles lit at each of the three locations where victims were killed.
As the ceremony concluded, a trumpet performance of "The Sound of Silence" was played by the bugler, followed by a short prayer for the deceased led by Cardinal Ryś.
The procession coincided with the final day of a two-day national mourning period declared by President Nawrocki for 8 and 9 November. Municipal authorities in Krakow have extended the period of local remembrance through Wednesday, 11 November. Public buildings in the city are displaying flags at half-mast or draped in black crepe, while public transport vehicles feature flags with black ribbons.
Members of the public wishing to offer condolences to the families of the victims may sign physical condolence books set up in the lobby of Kraków City Hall on Wszystkich Świętych Square between 9:00 and 19:00 through 11 November. An online condolence book is also available until 19:00 on the same day.
Injured Police Officers Decorated for Bravery
Prior to the march, officials announced that two police officers critically injured during the intervention against the gunman had been decorated by the state. National Security Bureau head Bartosz Grodecki announced that President Nawrocki personally presented 24-year-old Senior Constable Jakub Kulik and 27-year-old Senior Constable Artur Morański with the Officer's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.
The decorations were awarded for extraordinary services in public safety and order, as well as dedication and bravery in the line of duty. Grodecki conveyed the president's gratitude, highlighting the officers' decisive action and sacrifice in stopping the shooter at great risk to their own lives.
Senior Constables Kulik and Morański were the first responders to directly confront the gunman. Both sustained severe gunshot wounds during the engagement and were rushed to the hospital in critical condition, where they were placed into medically induced comas. Medical staff initiated the process of waking both officers on Sunday.
On Monday, Mayor Gibała reported that Morański had been extubated and that his medical condition was improving. Jan Golba, the mayor of Muszyna, shared on social media that upon waking from his coma, Morański's first words were to ask about his partner's survival, asking: "Is Kuba alive?"
Details of the Market Square Attack
The tragedy unfolded on Saturday, 7 November, when 24-year-old Michał Oksiński drove a motor vehicle onto Krakow's Main Market Square and opened fire at random using an automatic weapon.
The rampage resulted in six deaths and left 16 people injured, including the two responding police officers and the perpetrator. The attacker died in hospital early Monday morning. The deceased victims in the square include four Polish citizens, one British national, and one Austrian national. The 15 wounded victims include citizens of Britain, Portugal, Russia, Germany, and Austria.
Following the attack, law enforcement officers conducted a search of Oksiński's family apartment in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, where they discovered the dead bodies of his parents and sister. Police believe they were killed several hours before the shooting in Krakow took place.
