In Wrocław, Belarusians had their locks filled with mounting foam and 'Get out' written on their door. Rescuers had to free them from the apartment
On the morning of October 21, Belarusian Viktoria and her boyfriend Roman were unable to leave their apartment in Wrocław. Unknown individuals filled the entrance door locks with mounting foam, smeared them with red paint, and left an inscription that the couple perceived as a demand to leave the country. To get out of the apartment, the Belarusians had to call firefighters. Viktoria told MOST that the couple's conflicts with neighbors had escalated in recent weeks.
Viktoria and Roman moved to Poland from Belarus in 2021. They received international protection and live in Wrocław. For almost the past three years, they have been renting an apartment in an old building near the city center.
On the morning of October 21, as the couple was preparing to leave home, they discovered that the entrance door was blocked.
— Instead of a regular peephole, we have a rectangular glass pane in our door. We saw that it was completely sealed with something. It turned out to be mounting foam and red paint. We couldn't open the door at all. The locks barely turned," Viktoria recounts.
Unknown individuals poured foam into both locks — the upper and lower ones. They also left an inscription on the door in Polish — "Won do siebie" — which the Belarusians perceived as a call to leave the country.
The couple called the landlord and then sought help from emergency services. Firefighters arrived on the scene and helped the Belarusians get out.
— We asked them to photograph everything first, so there would be evidence for the police. They took photos, and then they freed us. When they saw what had happened, they said that such an act carries criminal liability.
After this, Roman went to the police station to file a report. The girl herself stayed home: due to the damaged locks, the door could no longer be locked from the outside.
— Someone has to be home constantly, because the door doesn't lock from the outside. From the inside, it can still be locked somehow, albeit with difficulty.
Aggression Has Increased in Recent Weeks
Viktoria said that she and her boyfriend are the only foreigners in the building. According to her, the couple previously had domestic conflicts with some neighbors, but in the last two to three weeks, the situation has escalated.
One of the reasons for the disagreements is the unlocked doors to the common stairwell and basement premises.
Viktoria and her partner are involved in selling goods, some of which they store in the building's basement. An expensive electric bicycle is also kept there. The couple is concerned about the safety of their property because, according to the woman, the doors to the common stairwell and basement are often left open.
— We've been trying to solve this problem for the third year now. The doors are open — anyone can walk in. I myself have seen homeless people sleeping in the stairwell, and someone relieving themselves there. We wrote to the administration several times, asking residents to close the doors.
According to Viktoria, the administration posted notices requesting order, but the problem persisted.
Based on this, the couple had conflicts with residents of four apartments.
— We've lived here for almost three years. Before, there wasn't such active aggression. There were some quarrels, but nothing serious. But in the last two to three weeks, everything seems to have escalated.
The girl claims that neighbors repeatedly insulted her and Roman, including shouting 'get out' at them in Polish. Due to one such conflict, the couple had already called the police.
Roman reported his suspicions to the police. However, it is not yet known who exactly filled the locks with foam.
According to the girl, after the incident, one of the neighbors came to them with a wrench. He accused the couple of damaging his property in the basement. Viktoria perceived his behavior as a threat, although she says she doesn't understand why he came to them.
— I'm already stressed and don't understand why he came to us.
"We Don't Know What to Do Now"
Viktoria said that after Roman's report to the police station, police officers visited the apartment. They inspected the damaged door, photographed it, and collected samples of the mounting foam and paint.
After the incident, the Belarusians considered moving, as they no longer feel safe. However, changing their housing quickly is not easy for them.
The couple is participating in an integration program for people who have received international protection. According to Viktoria, it is undesirable for them to change their place of residence while participating in the program.
— We don't know what to do now. It's become truly dangerous here. We want to talk to the landlord, because it's scary to stay in such conditions.
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