In a chilling echo of the 2011 Oslo attacks, a Polish gunman, identified as Michal Oksinski, reportedly visited websites related to Norwegian white supremacist Anders Behring Breivik before carrying out a deadly shooting spree in Krakow's main square on November 7. According to Poland's Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek, there appears to be a strong indication of right-wing extremism behind Oksinski's actions that have left the nation shaken. Investigators found a Gadsden flag, often associated with the US far right, in his possessions. The suspect, who died in hospital on Monday after being shot and arrested by police, was also alleged to have used a silencer in his car.
The bodies of Oksinski's family members were discovered in their home on Saturday, leading officials to suspect that they too may have been killed by the shooter. Breivik, an anti-Muslim neo-Nazi, is infamous for carrying out attacks in Oslo and Utoeya island in July 2011, killing a total of 86 people. The motives behind Oksinski's actions have sparked a political dispute since Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski claimed that the suspect was influenced by far-right ideology. However, the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski and other government members have reportedly distanced themselves from this claim.
In response to Zurek's comments linking Oksinski's actions to right-wing extremism, PiS lawmaker Michal Wojcik expressed outrage, stating that representatives of the Polish government were acting dishonestly towards the international community. Despite the controversy, Kierwinski maintains his initial statement, waiting for investigators' findings before making further comments. The Krakow shooting serves as a sobering reminder of the global trends in right-wing extremism and the potential influence of high-profile cases like Breivik's on domestic acts of violence.