Police in Krakow, Poland, have detained two men in connection with the fatal beating of a 36-year-old Hutnik Krakow football fan, identified only as Jakub C. and known by the nickname "Yankes."
The attack took place overnight between August 20 and 21 in the Nowa Huta district of Krakow, on the Osiedle Willowe housing estate. City monitoring footage clearly showed five men beating the victim. Jakub C. died as a result of the attack.
The attackers were pseudo-fans linked to a group known as "Młoda Ferajna," which identifies with rival Krakow club Wisła Krakow. Hutnik Krakow and Wisła Krakow are two of the city's football clubs with a long-standing rivalry.
Wisła Krakow's response
Wisła Krakow president Jarosław Królewski said that starting from the club's next home match, at the R22 stand, all banners and other items carrying slogans such as "anty," "PDW" or "Młoda/Stara/Podstarzała/W średnim wieku Ferajna," including matching shirts, would no longer be allowed into any stand. He said any such items brought into the stadium would be removed immediately, along with the people carrying them.
Krakow and other cities have no shortage of private balconies where such content can be freely displayed, Królewski added, saying a match lasts only 90 minutes and that time was better spent supporting one's own team.
Police investigation
Malopolska police have been working on the case since the night of the attack. On Monday afternoon, the force said the Provincial Police Headquarters in Krakow had taken over the investigation, which is being supervised by the District Prosecutor's Office for Krakow-Nowa Huta. The case is being pursued under Article 158 §1 and Article 159 of the Polish Penal Code, in connection with Article 11 §2.
On August 24, Malopolska police detained two men whose identities had been established through operational work. Investigators are still determining whether the men took part directly in the attack or played an indirect role, according to the police statement.
Search continues for third suspect
Neither of the men detained on Monday is the young man whose image police published on Sunday, August 23. According to Gazeta Krakowska, citing the Provincial Police Headquarters in Krakow, that man remains wanted in connection with the incident at Osiedle Willowe.
Autopsy findings
Preliminary autopsy results on "Yankes" indicate that his death was not caused by injuries sustained in the beating. Additional toxicological and histopathological tests are still required. WP journalist Szymon Jadczak wrote that, without full autopsy results, claims circulating about the cause of death remain unfounded speculation.
