Shocking video has emerged of the moment a Polish mayor was stabbed while on stage at a charity event.
Pawel Adamowicz, mayor of Gdańsk, participated in the 'Lights to Heaven' fundraiser on Sunday (local time). The 53-year-old had spent the day collecting money for the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, Poland's largest non-profit organisation, reports The Washington Post.
Footage released by Polish broadcaster TVN showed Mr Adamowicz addressing the crowd with a sparkler firework in his hand, talking about the "wonderful day" he'd had with volunteers.
A man can be seen moving quickly towards him onstage and coming into brief contact with the mayor (who was seen clutching his stomach) before returning to centre stage and delivering a quick speech.
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Polish media outlet Rzeczpospolita reports that the man said 'hello' several times before explaining his motive for the attack.
"My name is Stefan, I was jailed but innocent," he told the confused crowd. "Civic Platform tortured me, that's why Adamowicz just died."
Civic Platform is a Polish political party which led the previous government, and of which Mr Adamowicz had been a member.
Rzeczpospolita reports the mayor was stabbed in the heart and is in hospital in a "critical" condition.
The assailant has been identified as 27-year-old Stefan W, a convicted criminal who reportedly gained access to the stage by posing as a reporter with a media badge. He is currently in police custody.
European leaders have condemned the stabbing and wished for Mr Adamowicz' recovery, including London mayor Sadiq Khan and Dutch politician Frans Timmerman.
Mr Adamowicz has been mayor of Gdańsk since 1998. He is considered a progressive leader who has campaigned for LGBTQ rights and marched in a gay pride parade in 2018.
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