During Rafał Trzaskowski’s meeting in Wieluń, an incident occurred that sparked widespread outrage in media circles. TV Republika journalist Janusz Życzkowski was attacked by the Mayor of Warsaw’s security team — he shares his account in an interview with TV Republika.
TV Republika Journalist: The brutal assault on free media continues. While covering a meeting with Rafał Trzaskowski in Wieluń, our journalist Janusz Życzkowski was attacked by the security personnel of the Mayor of Warsaw. There were blows, shoving, and damage to equipment. A forensic examination leaves no doubt that a crime has been committed, and Janusz Życzkowski is here with us. What is your comment on this matter?
Janusz Życzkowski: Good morning, Konrad. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. First and foremost, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who wishes me well and for the many messages of support I received, including prayers. Let me begin with that, as I truly did not expect such a response, and I am deeply grateful.
Indeed, the events that occurred on Thursday also had consequences for my health. Frankly, I did not anticipate this outcome because on Thursday — likely due to the effects of adrenaline — I did not yet feel the symptoms. However, on Friday morning, I began to experience increasing back pain and pain in the spine, and I decided to seek medical attention. I went to the hospital. X-rays and a physical examination indicated that I had sustained injuries consistent with having been beaten.
The following day, I also visited a forensic physician, as this matter is now proceeding into the legal domain. The forensic examination confirmed that I had sustained a cervical spine torsion accompanied by post-traumatic pain syndrome affecting the cervical and thoracic regions. The report explicitly states that my health has been impaired for a period exceeding seven days. This fact alone confirms that the matter constitutes a criminal offence that must be prosecuted ex officio.
The medical documentation will be appended to the official complaint I filed with the police in Wieluń on Thursday evening, and it will form part of the ongoing judicial proceedings. According to my information, the Polish Journalists Association (Stowarzyszenie Dziennikarzy Polskich) has also been informed about the incident and intends to take action. Mrs Jolanta Hajdasz, the President of the Association, made a statement on the Association’s website, indicating that the organization will respond accordingly on behalf of journalists — for which I am also very thankful.
There must be zero tolerance for aggression and zero tolerance for journalists being treated in such a manner while simply performing their professional duties. I merely wished to ask Rafał Trzaskowski about the issue of political debates — specifically the debate in Końskie — and why he refuses to participate in a debate on TV Republika. I was treated the way you see in the video footage. Moreover, the presidential candidate himself went so far as to accuse me of aggression and insult me, which is also disgraceful, and I hope this will be duly addressed by the appropriate law enforcement authorities.
TV Republika Journalist: Thank you for your report.