Polish Mayor Pawel Adamowicz Stabbed On Stage At Charity Event Dies

Polish blood donors have come forward in droves in a bid to save his life. TV footage showed people queueing up to donate blood in the northern port city. Some said they were given time off work to help save Adamowicz. A rally against violence has also been planned.

After the attack, the assailant shouted from the stage that he had been wrongly imprisoned under a previous national government led by Civic Platform, the party to which the mayor once belonged.

Police said the suspect was a 27-year-old who had been recently released from prison, where he had served a term for bank robberies.

A police spokesman, Mariusz Ciarka, said the attacker appeared to have mental health problems and gained access to the area with a media badge. It is unclear how he acquired the credential.

He was arrested and is under investigation.

TVN footage showed Adamowicz on stage with a sparkler in hand, telling the audience that it had been a “wonderful day” before the attacker came towards him.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Check back for the fullest version. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter here, and on Facebook here.