“I felt a spit — and everyone was laughing.” In Bydgoszcz, Poland, a family attacked a Belarusian couple

First, the man blew cigarette smoke directly into Alena's face, then he started intentionally spitting on her back, and when Vitaliy stood up for his wife, the conflict escalated into a fight. As a result, the man had to be hospitalized. Alena told Most about what happened that day in Bydgoszcz.

“I thought attacks on foreigners happened somewhere else, in another life.”

Almost five years ago, Alena and Vitaliy, along with their daughter, moved from Belarus to Poland due to the threat of political persecution. In the new country, the family gradually managed to settle down. Thanks to his Polish roots, Vitaliy first received a permanent residence permit and then citizenship. Alena and her daughter legalized their stay through family reunification. Currently, Vitaliy works as an employee, Alena is developing her own business, and their daughter is studying at a technical school. According to Alena, they had never encountered xenophobia during all this time.

— I thought it was artificial hysteria that was being spread online. Literally a week ago, I was proving to a friend that attacks on foreigners were not true. I sincerely believed that something like this happened somewhere else, in another life, but not to us. And now I've encountered it.

“I take off my sweatshirt, and my whole back is covered in spit.”

On July 18, around noon, Alena and Vitaliy went to the store. A week before that, they had sold their car but hadn't bought a new one yet. Due to heavy rain, they decided to take a bus for a few stops.

While waiting for transport, Vitaliy stood under the shelter, and Alena stood a bit to the side under an umbrella. At that moment, a family with two children, approximately six and thirteen years old, approached the stop.

The man stood next to Alena and lit a cigarette. The smoke went directly into her face. At first, she thought it was an accident and moved away slightly. But she quickly noticed that he was doing it intentionally. Then she calmly made a remark, reminding him that smoking at bus stops is prohibited. To avoid provoking a conflict, she closed her umbrella and approached her husband.

At that moment, Vitaliy noticed that the man had a small bottle of strong alcohol in his hands, which he soon finished.

Павялічыць

— He started insulting us, telling his wife and children: «K**wy ukrainskie», «Najechali tu» (”You lot came here”) and other things. I didn't pay attention. Then I hear — a spit. I was standing with my back to him. I thought: he smoked and spat. Then another, stronger one — and everyone was laughing. On the third or fourth time, I felt the spit go through my sweatshirt. I take it off — and my whole back is covered in spit, — the woman recalls.

“That's where it all should have ended.”

Vitaliy stood up for his wife and asked the man to stop the bullying. But he ran up and grabbed him by the neck. A fight broke out.

The woman who was with the attacker, probably his wife, ran up after him. In the video Alena managed to record, it is visible how she pulls Vitaliy by his T-shirt and hair. The recording also shows that the older child of this family tries to break up the fight.

A few minutes later, the bus arrived, and the couple decided to leave.

— That's where it all should have ended. We went to the bus. The woman continued to shout after us: “Go! Get out of here forever! Ukrainian rags!” and other things. I took out my phone, as everyone advises to record evidence. Now I feel guilty.

“His forehead was broken, blood was flowing from his nose.”

Almost immediately, the woman ran up to Alena, pushed her, snatched her phone, and started walking away. Alena rushed after her and demanded the device back. The older child asked their mother to return the phone.

According to Alena, the woman threw the phone at her, after which she attacked with her fists. Vitaliy tried to break them up, but at that moment, the man ran up and started hitting him.

The bus driver got out and asked if help was needed. Alena replied that she would call the police. She managed to pick up her phone and dial 112. Seeing this, the attackers left.

— My husband's whole face and T-shirt were covered in blood. His forehead was broken, there was a laceration above his eyebrow, and blood was flowing from his nose. I was very scared.

“The policeman warned me not to go out without a residence permit anymore.”

According to Alena, the ambulance arrived in 40 minutes, the police in about 45. All this time they waited at the bus stop.

Medics examined Vitaliy, gave him an injection, after which a policeman arrived. Soon the man was taken to the hospital.

The officer asked Alena for an identification document. But the woman realized she had left her wallet at home. The policeman identified her by her PESEL number.

— But he warned me not to leave home without a residence permit card anymore. He also said that my husband was expected at the police station after his discharge.

Examination revealed no serious injuries

Vitaliy spent about three and a half hours in the hospital. He immediately received medical attention.

A computed tomography scan of the brain and facial bones revealed no hemorrhages, fractures, or other acute injuries.

Павялічыць

Medics advised not to leave the man alone for 24 hours, to call an ambulance if his condition worsened, to avoid physical exertion for several days, apply cold compresses, take painkillers, and consult a family doctor in two to three days.

“The commandant inquired about the investigation's progress.”

After the hospital, the couple went to the police station.

They were immediately received by an investigator who asked if a translator was needed. But they refused, as they spoke Polish well.

The husband and wife were questioned separately.

— We had to literally recount step-by-step who stood where, who said what, who did what.

According to Alena, the police officers behaved professionally and immediately started working: they requested surveillance camera footage from the shopping center, looked for other cameras, found the bus and the driver who was approaching the stop.

— During the interrogation, even the commandant called and inquired about the progress of the investigation and how my husband was feeling.

The family spent about four hours at the police station. At the end, they were asked to stay in touch.

“I was sure something like that wouldn't happen to me.”

Vitaliy feels better now, although he still suffers from headaches, and his bruises haven't healed yet.

Alena hopes that the attacker will be found and brought to justice. At first, she didn't want to talk about what happened, but she decided to do so because she is worried about her daughter's future.

— I sincerely believed that something like this happened somewhere far away and would never affect me. In Belarus, we were considered almost “extremists” who allegedly incited national hatred. We fled with practically nothing. Thank God, the Poles helped us get back on our feet. But now something similar is starting here too. Lately, people seem to have gone off the leash — you only read about attacks.

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