Polish retailers have begun removing Halloween-themed products such as toy knives and costumes from their shelves following a series of stabbing incidents at schools across the country. The decision comes amid heightened concerns over youth violence, with thousands of police officers deployed to schools since late last week to address safety issues.

The most recent incident occurred on Saturday at a further education college in Warsaw, where three people were injured. This marked the third stabbing attack at an educational institution within four days. On Thursday, a 15-year-old former student attacked staff at a primary school in Leszczydol-Nowiny, northeast of Warsaw, killing a caretaker and injuring two others. The assailant was reportedly wearing a helmet-mounted camera during the attack. The previous day, a 19-year-old wounded ten people, including himself, at a school in Ostroleka, north of the capital.

In response to these events, key retailers such as Biedronka, Poland’s largest supermarket chain operating around 3,900 stores, have decided to scale back their Halloween product offerings. Biedronka’s category director, Malgorzata Polakowska, stated that selected items likely to evoke undesirable associations—specifically fake knives and similar accessories—would be withdrawn as a precaution to protect children’s welfare.

Similarly, Smyk, a retailer specializing in children’s products, announced it was removing accessories resembling dangerous tools, including plastic knives and cleavers, from its inventory nationwide. The company emphasized that given the current context, such items were considered inappropriate in stores catering to families.

Although Halloween is not traditionally celebrated in Poland, it has gained popularity among younger generations influenced by Western popular culture. The spate of school stabbings has prompted politicians and officials, including Prime Minister Donald Tusk, to express concern about underlying causes. Tusk referred to a “very grim trend of violence” and highlighted possible negative influences stemming from social media and video games.

Authorities continue to investigate the incidents while working to enhance security measures in educational facilities. The recent attacks have sparked a broader conversation in Poland about youth violence and the societal factors contributing to these violent acts.