Słupsk street riots 1998

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On Saturday, January 10, 1998 a basketball derby game between the teams of Czarni Slupsk and AZS Koszalin took place in the northern Polish city of Slupsk. After the match, hundreds of fans were peacefully going back home. At the intersection on Szczecinska Street, a group of people decided to cross the street on red light. This was noticed by policemen, who were standing nearby. One of officers, Dariusz W., approached the fans and using a baton, several times hit on the head 13-year old Przemyslaw Czaja. This fact was witnessed by tens of people. Despite pleas, the policemen did not call ambulance for unconscious Czaja, who was lying on the sidewalk. At 8:20 p.m., the boy died, later it turned out that the death had been caused by haemorrhage.

News about the incident spread quickly around the city and next day, on Sunday, January 11, a group of supporters of two Slupsk’s sports clubs - Czarni and Gryf, gathered in the morning on Szczecinska Street, to erect a cross there. Then, at about midday, the crowd moved to the vicinity of local prosecutor’s office, demanding punishment of the responsible officer, who was being questioned in the building. At about 4 p.m. prosecutor informed that the victim stumbled while running away, and hit his head against a trolley bus traction post, which caused the death.

First skirmishes started at 8 p.m. Angry crowd, chanting “blood for blood”, erected barricades in the center of the city, and started to hurl rocks at police. The night of January 11-12 was very violent. Hundreds of rioters attacked police stations, and destroyed 22 police vehicles. Police responded with tear gas. For the next three days Slupsk was marred by violent fights, and as local police department was unable to tame the rioters, help was called from neighboring cities. Finally, on Wednesday, January 14, the situation was mastered by some 1000 policemen patrolling the streets.

According to the Slupsk police, 239 adults were detained and 84 were taken into custody. The local magistrate court received 251 delinquency motions, and the juvenile court took up 32 cases. 72 police officers were injured, two of whom were hospitalized.

In 2001 Dariusz W., the officer who killed the boy, was sentenced to 8 years. However, he was released after 4 years due to poor health. Another officer, Robert K. who was sitting in a cruiser during the incident, was accused of failing to help the victim.

In September 2005 the Circuit Court in Gdansk decided that the family of the victim would get compensation in the amount of 300 000 PLN (around $100 000), paid by the Slupsk Police Department.