Polish police arrest man in Przemyśl after online threats against Prime Minister Donald Tusk

Arrest in Przemyśl county

Police in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship detained a 56-year-old resident of Przemyśl county on Saturday, 19 September 2026. The detention followed the publication of a video on an online social network on Friday, 18 September 2026, which contained explicit threats directed at Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Officers from the regional command tracked and located the author within 24 hours of the video appearing online. Sub-Inspector Karolina Kowalik, the press officer for the Municipal Police Headquarters in Przemyśl, confirmed on Sunday that procedural activities with the man remain underway. The suspect remains in custody while law enforcement personnel finalize preliminary investigative steps.

Evidence analysis and upcoming charges

Investigators seized the video material along with electronic equipment belonging to the 56-year-old suspect for detailed forensic examination. The secured digital evidence and hardware will serve to substantiate the formal indictment against him. Judicial authorities have scheduled the suspect to be formally presented with charges on Monday, 21 September 2026. The Municipal Police Headquarters in Przemyśl and the Voivodeship Police Headquarters in Rzeszów have not disclosed the specific wording or exact demands expressed in the recording. Under Article 190, Paragraph 1 of the Polish Penal Code, an individual who threatens another person with the commission of a crime to their detriment or to the detriment of their relatives faces up to three years of imprisonment when the threat generates a justified fear of fulfillment.

Law enforcement warning on digital accountability

Following the arrest, regional police units published statements reminding the public that online activities leave traceable records and do not ensure anonymity. The Voivodeship Police Headquarters in Rzeszów noted that posting threatening content online carries direct legal consequences. Officers issued an official statement on the social media platform X to address the detention and remind users of criminal accountability.

Nobody is unpunished on the web. Police officers react to such cases and take decisive actions aimed at identifying the authors of this type of material and holding them accountable in accordance with applicable regulations.

Law enforcement agencies noted that specialized units monitor digital platforms to identify creators of unlawful material and ensure they face prosecution under existing statutes.

Previous threat incident in Lower Silesia

The Przemyśl detention is the second case in September 2026 involving online threats aimed directly at Prime Minister Donald Tusk. On 7 September 2026, Dolnośląska police arrested a 52-year-old resident of Oława for publishing threatening content against the head of government on the social network Facebook. The Oława investigation is conducted under the procedural supervision of the District Prosecutor's Office in Oława, which already issued formal charges of criminal threats against the suspect. During his police interrogation, the 52-year-old man was unable to provide a rational explanation for his actions or the severe nature of the published material. Both cases fall under the same statutory provisions of the Polish Penal Code, carrying potential prison sentences of up to three years.