Thousands have attended the funeral of Polish mayor Pawel Adamowicz after he was stabbed to death on stage at a charity event.

The 53-year-old mayor of Gdansk died on Monday after being attacked the night before during a fundraiser to help provide money for hospital equipment.

He underwent five hours of surgery for wounds to his heart and abdomen, as locals queued to donate blood, but medics were not able to save him.

Image: Pawel Adamowicz speaking at the event before he was attacked

European Council President Donald Tusk was among the Polish and European officials who joined thousands of mourners for his funeral at the vast Gothic St Mary's Basilica on Saturday.

Polish President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki also attended along with former leaders including Lech Walesa, as did ex-German president Joachim Gauck and city mayors from other countries.


Image: Pawel Adamowicz died after being attacked at a charity event

Image: Thousands of people took part in a procession ahead of the funeral

But the powerful leader of the ruling Polish conservative party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, was not there.

Upon news of the stabbing, Mr Tusk tweeted: "Pawel Adamowicz, Mayor of Gdansk, a man of solidarity and freedom, a European, my good friend, has been murdered. May he rest in peace."

Mr Adamowicz's coffin arrived at the basilica ahead of a Mass on Friday night, after which the body was cremated.

Image: People gathered outside to watch the funeral service

The ashes have been placed inside a black urn, which will be laid to rest at one of the chapels at the basilica.

Crowds in the streets were able to watch the ceremony on giant screens, with most still in shock over a killing that has drawn calls for greater national unity and condemnation of hate speech in the public sphere.

It came amid deep political divide in Poland over actions by the ruling Law and Justice party.

Image: Donald Tusk was among those who attended the funeral on Saturday

The 27-year-old suspected killer is an ex-convict who is said to have a grudge against an opposition party that Mr Adamowicz once belonged to.

Police said the man - who remains in custody - appeared to have mental health problems and gained access to the stage last weekend with a media badge.

According to Polish broadcaster TVN, he shouted and claimed that he had been wrongly imprisoned by the previous government before attacking his victim with a 14.5cm (5.5in) knife.

He was previously convicted of involvement in bank robberies and served a five-and-a-half-year prison term.