Poland warns of possible attack on Tusk
Security services say there is a serious threat against the prime minister and defence minister.
Follow-up to: Third school attack shocks Poland again Saturday, 10 October 2026, 17:48
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Polish police warn of a possible attack on Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. According to the government spokesperson for the security services, there is a strong chance that the threat will become reality, but details of a possible plan have not been disclosed.
The warning came on Sunday after an emergency meeting of the police, security services and the Ministry of the Interior. Jacek Dobrzyński, spokesman for the minister who oversees the intelligence services, said the information first reached the state protection service and was then passed on to the police.
Dobrzyński described the threat as exceptionally serious. He did not say who might be behind it, how the threat was made or what measures had specifically been taken for Tusk and Kosiniak-Kamysz. The Polish authorities have thereby confirmed that they are treating the information as a concrete security risk, but not that there is already a suspect or an established plot.
The warning comes after a week of several serious incidents at schools in the province of Mazovia. According to AP, there were three attacks within four days, in which one person was killed and several people were injured. Prime Minister Tusk said on Sunday that, in his view, the incidents did not constitute a large-scale organised campaign, but had been partly influenced by the online glorification of violence.
By Sunday morning, police had detained 117 people for carrying knives or other dangerous objects, or for making threats against schools and fellow pupils. According to AP, around 64,000 schools were also checked. Those figures relate to the broader security operation following the school incidents and do not prove that the threat against the prime minister is connected to them.
On Sunday, Tusk took part in a meeting with ministers and heads of the security services about the violence at schools and a wave of disinformation. The government has previously announced additional police patrols around schools and wants to be able to act more quickly against illegal online content. Those proposals are politically contentious, because supporters point to the protection of young people while opponents warn of broad state powers and an erosion of freedom of expression.
Poland is also under increased pressure because of the war in Ukraine and concerns about possible Russian hybrid actions. AP reported that Tusk had previously warned of attacks intended to weaken support for Ukraine; Moscow has denied such plans. For now, there is no public indication that the new threat against Tusk or Kosiniak-Kamysz can be attributed to Russia.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Polish police have reported a possible attack threat against the prime minister and the defence minister.
- The authorities have disclosed no details about a possible plot or suspect.
- After several school incidents, Poland detained 117 people and checked around 64,000 schools.
- The Polish government is discussing stricter measures against illegal online content.
Left
Arguments Priority should be given to protecting young people, prevention and tackling online networks that glorify violence. New powers for the state should be closely defined and subject to judicial and parliamentary oversight.
Values Equal protection, social prevention, digital rights and restraint in state action.
Consequences A one-sided focus on policing and repression can push problems underground and further marginalise vulnerable young people; effective moderation and support services can identify violence at an earlier stage.
Centre
Arguments The state must take the threat seriously and organise visible security, but should first gather facts before introducing new broad powers. Measures against illegal content must be clear, reviewable and temporary.
Values Public safety, the rule of law, proportionality and administrative reliability.
Consequences Targeted measures can restore trust, while rushed legislation or unsubstantiated allegations can instead intensify polarisation and disinformation.
Right
Arguments The government must take firm action against threats, knives and the online glorification of violence. Citizens and public officeholders must be protected, even if that requires stricter checks and restrictions on dangerous content.
Values Order, national security, protection of authority and the responsibility of platforms and parents.
Consequences Swift and visible enforcement can have a deterrent effect, but broader powers of control can, according to this approach, be accepted only if they are effective and do not unnecessarily restrict freedom of expression.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The core facts have been confirmed by AP and a Polish government publication. Unknown details about the threat have been explicitly presented as unknown.
- confirmed Polish police warned on 11 October of a possible attack on Donald Tusk and Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. — AP describes the police statement and names both targets. source
- confirmed The information went via the state protection service to the police and was discussed at an emergency meeting. — AP and the Polish government agenda confirm the meeting of security services and ministers. source
- confirmed 117 people were detained and around 64,000 schools were checked after the school incidents. — These figures appear in AP’s report on the broader security operation. source
- confirmed There is no public indication that Russia is behind the new threat. — The sources consulted name neither a perpetrator nor Russian involvement; AP mentions only Tusk’s earlier warnings, which Moscow denied. source
Editor's note
The threat and the emergency meeting have been confirmed. The authorities have provided no details about the source, method, suspects or a connection with the school incidents; that connection is therefore not made.Sources
- Poland's police warn of a possible plot to attack Prime Minister Donald Tusk — Associated Press
- Polish leader says school attacks were fueled by online glorification of violence — Associated Press
- Udział premiera Donalda Tuska w odprawie z ministrami i szefami służb — Kancelaria Prezesa Rady Ministrów
The story so far
- Saturday, 10 October 2026, 17:48 Third school attack shocks Poland again
- Sunday, 11 October 2026, 14:17 Poland warns of possible attack on Tusk (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- NRC — „polen donald tusk”
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- De Telegraaf — „polen donald tusk”