The Kraków Merchants’ Congregation has appealed to residents and tourists not to stop visiting shops, establishments and the streets of Kraków after Saturday’s attack on the Main Square. “Don’t leave us, be with us,” the merchants wrote, stressing that a community cannot be broken by fear.
In the appeal, representatives of Kraków’s merchant community said that despite the tragedy of November 7, they remain ready to work, serve residents and welcome people visiting Kraków. “We are here. We have not been intimidated. We will not allow fear to take away our city’s life, openness and hospitality,” they wrote in the appeal.
The merchants recalled that for generations they have been part of Kraków’s history and everyday life. They urged residents not to give up their presence in public spaces and to support local business owners. “Don’t leave us. Be with us. Visit our shops, establishments and the streets of Kraków. Your presence is not only support for us, but also a testament that the community we form cannot be broken by fear,” they said.
The appeal also referred to those who risked their lives to defend others during Saturday’s attack. In the merchants’ view, their courage and sacrifice oblige residents to stand united and care for the city’s future.
“We cannot allow the sacrifice of our heroes, who courageously stood up in defense of human life and safety, to be in vain,” the Congregation’s representatives wrote.
The merchants also invoked the hejnał mariacki, the St. Mary’s bugle call that has sounded over Kraków for centuries. They noted that its melody is a symbol of the city’s strength, pride and resilience. “We will not allow fear to ever silence its sound or take the life from the streets of a city that has survived so many trials of history,” the document says.
The Kraków Merchants’ Congregation also encouraged people to take part in the upcoming Christmas Market on the Main Square. It urged that a shared presence at the holiday events become an expression of solidarity and defiance of fear.
“We are here and we will be here for you. We want to keep working, serving you and building Kraków together, so that it remains a city that is open, alive and safe,” the merchants declared.
The appeal was signed by Wiesław Jopek, president of the Kraków Merchants’ Congregation. The organization emphasized that its tradition goes back more than 615 years.
On Saturday, a 24-year-old man drove a car onto the Main Square in Kraków and opened fire with an automatic weapon at random people. Six people were killed and 16 were injured, including two police officers and the attacker, who died in a hospital early Monday. In Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, police found the bodies of the attacker’s parents and sister in his family’s apartment. (PAP)
