In recent hours, journalists affiliated with the Free Speech Zone media group and related entities have become the target of a series of coordinated false reports made to emergency services. So far, eight such incidents have been recorded — involving alleged threats to life, suicide attempts, bomb alerts, and property damage. Interventions took place at editorial offices, studios, and the private homes of journalists and their families. According to representatives of the broadcaster, the actions appear to be an organized intimidation and harassment campaign carried out using confidential address data.
Series of Dangerous Incidents Targeting TV Republika
Details of the incidents were disclosed in a video published on X by TV Republika’s programming director, Michał Rachoń.
“At this moment, we have recorded eight false reports concerning either our station, its employees, collaborators, or entities associated with our station. These false reports submitted to the services involve, among other things, bodily harm, direct threats to life, sometimes death, as well as property damage. In every location we are talking about, emergency services physically appeared. In some of these places, the entry — which we are not criticizing — was forceful. This did not directly concern the station itself, but the reasons given were linked to notifications received by the services, notifications that were false. As of now, we know of eight such incidents. Today alone, we have twice verbally reported suspected crimes committed by the individual or individuals responsible,” he said.
The journalist also addressed Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek and Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński.
“We are waiting, Mr. Prosecutor General, we are waiting, Mr. Interior Minister, we are waiting, Mr. Police Commander-in-Chief. Nearly 24 hours have passed. We do not hear that you have caught the person who has been playing cat-and-mouse with Warsaw’s services for the past 24 hours, and you do not appear to know what is happening in this matter,” he declared.
Rachoń also recalled that authorities had previously acted quickly “when it came to catching people who posted something rude or inappropriate online about individuals you happen to like.”
“We are waiting. The clock is ticking. All these actions are diverting the services you supervise from serious duties. And we will be watching closely,” he concluded.
Police Enter “Gazeta Polska” Headquarters
The chairman of TV Republika, Tomasz Sakiewicz, also spoke on-air about the false reports.
“At this moment, police have entered the headquarters of Gazeta Polska. Police are investigating the case of our ‘13th floor.’ Apparently, there are currently mass reports concerning bomb threats. In the case of our journalists, several hours ago there were mass reports of alleged suicide attempts involving our journalists, including children. The scale of this attack is enormous. Private addresses of people that are not publicly available are being provided. Secondly, all the locations of our editorial offices and production studios are being disclosed: Gazeta Polska, TV Republika, and the 13th floor. The addresses of our accountants are also being circulated. Whoever is doing this has organized the operation very well and has access to confidential data,” he stated.
He added that information regarding Gazeta Polska “came from the Central Investigation Bureau, meaning it was circulating at a higher level and being distributed from there.”
“The question is who is doing this and why at a moment when an unbelievable attack on Republika is taking place,” he emphasized.
Sakiewicz also referred to criticism directed at the station by government spokesman Adam Szłapka.
“Government spokesman Adam Szłapka said that every złoty donated by viewers goes into my pocket, to fund my luxuries. There is probably nothing more defamatory one could say about the head of a television station. He will face legal action for this for the rest of his life, which will teach him not to spread such lies and slander. The justice minister and the illegal prosecutor’s office are also organizing a campaign against me in connection with my questioning scheduled for May 20. This is no joke,” he declared.
“An Organized Intimidation Campaign”
Journalist Katarzyna Gójska revealed that “police officers appeared at the homes of four TV Republika journalists over the past several hours with information that some service had received reports claiming a suicide bombing was about to occur in those homes, or that someone — including a child — was about to commit suicide.”
“Some of these visits took place in the evening hours. All officers who arrived behaved properly, but there is absolutely no doubt that this is an operation aimed at intimidation and harassment — including harassment of children. In addition to police entering editorial offices and studios, over the past several hours police have also entered the homes of TV Republika journalists,” she said.
Gójska announced that the station’s management would do everything possible to “mobilize state services to determine who is behind these criminal acts.”
“I also hope that police officers will not be restrained for political reasons from conducting investigative work. I hope that the government spokesman or the Speaker of the Sejm will realize the consequences of the hate speech they spread in virtually every statement concerning our station and our viewers,” she stated.
In her opinion, “this operation is coordinated and based on deep access to data that is not widely available.”
“We are also aware that by exposing various Russian connections, TV Republika may itself become a target of actions carried out by eastern intelligence services. We are taking that possibility into account as well. We hope that the authorities of the Republic of Poland will act professionally in this matter, in accordance with the interests of the state,” she concluded.