Safety · Wyszków, Ostrołęka, and Sierpc
Polish retailers pull Halloween masks and fake knives after school knife attacks
Biedronka, Action, Carrefour Polska, Auchan and SMYK are withdrawing Halloween items after knife attacks in Polish schools, one of which left a 37-year-old woman school worker dead.
In brief
A 15-year-old boy wounded three people at a primary school in Wyszków county, and a 37-year-old woman died.
A 19-year-old attacked nine people with a knife in Ostrołęka, among them five students and two teachers.
Biedronka is withdrawing products from all its stores. SMYK is removing Halloween accessories from all stationary stores and online sales.
Barbara Nowacka said on Tuesday, 13 October, that changes, some of them legal, would give schools and principals more protection.
The attacks behind the decision
In the week of 5 October 2026, several knife attacks hit Polish schools, including a school for adults. In the Wyszków county attack, a 15-year-old boy wounded three people at a primary school, and one of them, a 37-year-old woman, died. In Ostrołęka, a 19-year-old attacked nine people with a knife, among them five students, two teachers and two bystanders. Police in Sierpc detained a 17-year-old who, according to the report, had planned an attack at a school. A 21-year-old woman also attacked three people with a knife at a school for adults. The chart below sets out how many people were targeted in the three attacks with published victim counts.
- Ostrołęka attack (19-year-old)
- 9 people
- Wyszków primary school attack (15-year-old)
- 3 people
- School for adults attack (21-year-old woman)
- 3 people
Data from the article text
Retailers pull Halloween lines
Biedronka's category director, Małgorzata Polakowska, told Wirtualna Polska that the withdrawal of products is now running in every store in the chain. She explained the decision in these words:
“We decided that in the current circumstances the most important thing is to adapt the offer to the social context and the expectations of our customers.”
Action said its press office had decided to remove Halloween costumes with masks from its Polish stores because of the recent incidents in the country. Carrefour Polska said it had started withdrawing part of its Halloween range. According to Wirtualna Polska, which cited store information, Auchan has changed its Halloween range and stopped selling gadgets that resemble sharp tools. The chain said it had ordered a new review of its Halloween offer, citing the safety and wellbeing of its customers, especially the youngest.
SMYK goes furthest
The SMYK board decided to withdraw from all stationary stores and from online sales all Halloween accessories that imitate dangerous tools, such as plastic knives and hatchets, as well as items with drastic elements. Katarzyna Czechowska-Jakubowska, the chain's marketing specialist, linked the decision to social responsibility and to the feelings of parents and children. She added:
“We believe that in the current circumstances, having such items on the shelves of a store whose offer is aimed at families is inappropriate.”
Ahead of Halloween
Halloween is marked on 31 October in many countries. It has no deep roots in Polish culture, but young people in Poland increasingly celebrate it. Children dress as monsters and vampires and go door to door in the evening asking for sweets. The product removals therefore fall in the run-up to that date.
Government response
Education Minister Barbara Nowacka said on Tuesday, 13 October, that several changes are coming, some of them legal. The changes are meant to give schools and principals more protection. Her announcement came after the week of attacks described above.