Poland’s president and prime minister joined thousands of residents in Kraków on Monday evening for a silent march honouring the victims of Saturday’s shooting in the city centre. The event took place as national mourning continued and followed the deaths of six people in the attack.
The March of Silence began at 20:00 at the junction of Kraków’s Main Market Square and Sławkowska Street, where the first shots were fired. Participants walked towards St Mary’s Basilica before the ceremony ended near the Town Hall Tower.
A citywide tribute after the Kraków shooting
The event was organised at the invitation of Kraków mayor Łukasz Gibała, who called on residents to show solidarity with the victims and their families. President Karol Nawrocki and Prime Minister Donald Tusk joined local government officials and religious leaders at the commemoration.
Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś, Archbishop of Kraków, also attended, alongside Małopolska governor Krzysztof Klęczar and regional marshal Łukasz Smółka. No speeches were planned, keeping the focus on remembrance rather than political statements.
The march included candle-lighting at the three locations where people were killed. At the close of the event, a bugler played “The Sound of Silence”, followed by a short prayer from Cardinal Ryś.
What happened in Kraków?
According to the source report, a 24-year-old man drove into the city’s main square on Saturday and opened fire with an automatic weapon. Six people were killed and 16 were injured, including two police officers and the attacker.
The victims included four Polish citizens, a British man and an Austrian woman. The injured also included people from Britain, Portugal, Russia, Germany and Austria, underlining the international impact of the attack in one of Poland’s most visited urban areas.
The alleged attacker died in hospital early on Monday. Police also found the bodies of his parents and sister at a family flat in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. The circumstances surrounding those deaths were part of the wider investigation described in the report.
Police officers honoured for intervention
Before the march, President Nawrocki awarded two seriously injured officers the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta. Senior Constables Jakub Kulik and Artur Morański were recognised for their actions to protect public safety and for confronting the armed attacker.
The officers were the first to intervene directly. Both were shot during the operation and taken to hospital in critical condition, where they were placed in medically induced comas.
Doctors began waking them on Sunday. Kraków mayor Łukasz Gibała later said Morański had been extubated and that his condition had begun to improve. The mayor of Muszyna, Jan Golba, reported that Morański’s first concern after waking was whether his colleague Jakub was alive.
The president presented the decorations to both officers in person. The awards recognised their courage and dedication while the investigation and medical treatment continued.
National mourning and Kraków remembrance
President Nawrocki declared national mourning for 8 and 9 November, making the march the final major public commemoration during that period. Kraków authorities extended the city’s mourning period until the end of Wednesday, 11 November.
During the extended period:
- Flags on public buildings remain at half-mast or are covered with black crepe.
- Kraków buses and trams display flags with black ribbons.
- A physical book of condolence is available at Kraków City Hall on Wszystkich Świętych Square.
- An online condolence book remains open until 19:00 on 11 November.
The physical book can be signed between 09:00 and 19:00 during the mourning period.
Why the march matters
The silent procession brought together national and local authorities, religious representatives, police and residents at the locations linked to the attack. Its format allowed the city to mark the loss of life without adding speeches or political debate to a moment of public grief.
The presence of the president and prime minister also reflected the national significance of the incident. While the attack occurred in Kraków, the victims included foreign nationals and the city is a major international tourism destination, giving the tragedy wider European relevance.
Authorities will now continue the criminal investigation, while medical teams treat those injured and officials support victims’ families. Further confirmed information about the investigation and the condition of the surviving officers is expected to come from Polish authorities.
Conclusion
Poland’s leaders joined Kraków residents in a silent tribute to the six people killed in Saturday’s shooting. The ceremony, national mourning and honours for the two injured police officers marked a collective response to the tragedy, while the investigation and recovery of those wounded continue.