The homeless man who died was found near the Nivy shopping centre. (source: Marko Erd)
Updated on February 12, 2025: According to video footage from January 29 obtained by TV Markíza, security guards did not beat the Ukrainian man. While he was detained twice during the day, he was handed over to the police on both occasions and subsequently released. What happened to him between leaving the shopping centre and his death nearby remains unclear. CCTV recordings show an unidentified man landing several blows on the now-deceased Ukrainian shortly before 22:30.
“We talked about this. One day, someone will be beaten to death. We told Vagus [a non-profit organisation that helps homeless people in Bratislava – Ed.] that too,” says Maja, a Roma woman who has faced threats and aggression from security guards at the Nivy shopping centre in central Bratislava.
The Sme daily spoke to two Ukrainian workers – Anna, who sleeps in a squat, and Peter, who is homeless – Dano, who has a black eye, and Jozef, who works in a factory outside the city. They nodded in agreement between drags on their cigarettes while sitting outside the shopping centre, recounting how security guards have been assaulting them for three months. The Vagus association has known about the issue for a year.
The recent death of a homeless Ukrainian man has caused a stir. He succumbed to injuries incurred during a beating. Police are investigating who was responsible. Reports suggest the attackers might be security guards or police officers. The Inspection Service, which oversees police conduct, ruled out police involvement but has launched proceedings against officers for abuse of power.
The Ukrainian embassy expressed concern, voicing suspicion of ethnic bias and citing rising anti-Ukrainian sentiment. The Inspection Service denies the allegations.
Avoiding retaliation
The Sme daily is withholding the names of those speaking out, as they fear retaliation. Many say security guards have confiscated their ID cards, and know their identities.
The dead man’s identity remains unknown. He died on January 31 in Ružinov Hospital, a day after city police found him injured outside a barbershop. The previous day he had been caught shoplifting and detained by security until police arrived. The shopping centre claims he was handed over “without injury.”
