Karol Nawrocki, the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) candidate in Poland’s upcoming presidential runoff, has been linked to a violent 2009 clash involving a notorious football hooligan gang, according to reports by major Polish media outlets.
Karol Nawrocki, Sochaczew, central Poland, May 22, 2025. Photo: PAP/Paweł Supernak
The incident reportedly took place while Nawrocki was employed by the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN), a government-run historical research body that he would later go on to lead.
Sources told Wirtualna Polska and Onet.pl that Nawrocki fought alongside Lechia Gdańsk’s “Free City Hooligans,” a group allegedly connected to figures from Poland’s criminal underworld and nightclub security circles.
The brawl reportedly involved around 70 men on each side and lasted more than six minutes. It was allegedly pre-arranged and later described on football fan websites. Opposing supporters were reportedly from Lech Poznań.
Nawrocki’s hooligan tattoos put alleged gang ties under scrutiny
Further reporting by Onet.pl claims Nawrocki bears tattoos associated with the “Free City Hooligans,” suggesting deeper, longstanding ties to Poland’s violent football fan subculture.
In a recent interview, when asked about his past, Nawrocki described his participation as “sporting activity,” saying it helped shape his character and prepared him for public life. He did not directly address the allegations.
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Source: IAR/Wp.pl/Onet.pl/TVN24/X/@Bertold_K/@luk_ciesla
Radio Poland