Hundreds of residents of the Swedish capital Stockholm, including many members of the local Polish diaspora, gathered on Saturday for a period of silent reflection to honor the memory of Michał, or Mikael, Janicki, a man of Polish origin who was murdered in the city on Wednesday.
The 39-year-old Pole was fatally shot on Wednesday evening in Stockholm after a confrontation with a group of youths. He was shot and died in front of his 12-year-old son as they were walking to a swimming pool in the Skarholmen district of the capital.
According to media reports, the man and his son encountered a group of youths in an underpass, words were exchanged, and then a fatal shot was fired at him.
The bells of a local church were rung on Saturday, followed by a half-hour silence.
At the nearby Red Cross school, the family received condolences for over two hours. In the displayed photos, a smiling man could be seen, playing with friends or hugging a cat. “That’s how Mjoko was, that’s what he was called since he was little,” his friend told the Polish Press Agency
Among the flowers, candles, and cards full of sorrow and love, white and red flags could be seen.
Crowds of people of various nationalities, families with children, and elderly individuals in wheelchairs came upon the invitation of the family, mothers, sisters, and friends.
People hugged each other and held hands, tears streaming down their cheeks. Someone served coffee or tea to the gathered crowd.
A book was laid out, quickly filling with entries in Polish as well. “Your death will not be in vain.”
“You are a hero! You will forever remain in our memories. Words of support for the family,” wrote the Poles.
Through PAP, the sister of the murdered man thanked the Polish people for their support. “This is very precious to us,” she said.
Among the attendees of Saturday’s memorial ceremony was the dead man’s son, who is under police protection as a key witness to the crime.
Also present at the ceremony was the mother of 12-year-old Adriana, who was accidentally killed at a gas station in 2020 and had Polish roots. Today, the woman supports the sister of the murdered man.
On Friday, a Polish deputy foreign minister explained that although the deceased man was of Polish descent, he did not hold Polish citizenship as his parents had renounced their citizenship in the 1980s. Therefore, the Swedish prosecution service will be handling his murder.
According to media reports, the man and his son encountered a group of youths in an underpass, words were exchanged, and then a fatal shot was fired at him.
The bells of a local church were rung on Saturday, followed by a half-hour silence.
At the nearby Red Cross school, the family received condolences for over two hours. In the displayed photos, a smiling man could be seen, playing with friends or hugging a cat. “That’s how Mjoko was, that’s what he was called since he was little,” his friend told the Polish Press Agency
Among the flowers, candles, and cards full of sorrow and love, white and red flags could be seen.
Crowds of people of various nationalities, families with children, and elderly individuals in wheelchairs came upon the invitation of the family, mothers, sisters, and friends.
People hugged each other and held hands, tears streaming down their cheeks. Someone served coffee or tea to the gathered crowd.
A book was laid out, quickly filling with entries in Polish as well. “Your death will not be in vain.”
“You are a hero! You will forever remain in our memories. Words of support for the family,” wrote the Poles.
Through PAP, the sister of the murdered man thanked the Polish people for their support. “This is very precious to us,” she said.
Among the attendees of Saturday’s memorial ceremony was the dead man’s son, who is under police protection as a key witness to the crime.
Also present at the ceremony was the mother of 12-year-old Adriana, who was accidentally killed at a gas station in 2020 and had Polish roots. Today, the woman supports the sister of the murdered man.
On Friday, a Polish deputy foreign minister explained that although the deceased man was of Polish descent, he did not hold Polish citizenship as his parents had renounced their citizenship in the 1980s. Therefore, the Swedish prosecution service will be handling his murder.
Source: TVP World, PAP
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