[3] She is accused of damaging a Fundacja Pro van in late June and assaulting the driver, for which she was arrested, charged, and released after the first judge to hear the case refused the prosecution's request for pre-trial detention. [30][16] Margot was taken to Płock where she was held in solitary confinement[16] and released on 28 August following an appeal by her lawyer. A counter-demonstration was attended by The Greens MPs Marek Kossakowski [pl] and Małgorzata Tracz, as well as Civic Coalition's MP Franciszek Sterczewski and The Left MP Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk. Opponents of the ruling have called for a referendum on the right to abort malformed foetuses, and some have announced they will block traffic nationwide on Monday. All but Margot were released later that weekend after spending the night in jail. Some protesters chanted: “Freedom, equality, women’s rights.”. [34], On Sunday 16 August, nationalist demonstrators held a demonstration in Krakowskie Przedmieście, near the main gate of the University of Warsaw, called "Stop LGBT aggression" ("Przeciw agresji LGBT" or "Stop agresji LGBT"). Reuters. Among the detained there were also arbitrary people who in a certain moment were, for example, coming out of a shop with bags. [23][24] Bodnar said that the authorities' response to a demonstration depended on whether it was "liked by the authorities or not": right-wing demonstrations have not attracted a police response. W tle wyzwiska i ataki", "Das 'polnische Stonewall': Solidarität mit der LGBTI*-Community in Warschau", "[Opinion] Europe failing to protect LGBTI citizens", "Na sochu Jána Pavla II. The protest, called Black Monday, opposes the tightening of anti-abortion laws by the Polish government. [24] In total, forty-eight people, including Margot, were arrested, which was described as a "mass arrest", and held in at least four police stations in Warsaw. Solidarity protests have occurred in several cities in Poland, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The demonstrations went ahead in defiance of a government ban on public gatherings imposed as part of measures designed to reduce the rising number of coronavirus cases in the country. Free' Are Denied E.U. Declarations of LGBT-free zones in 2019 and 2020 and the 2020 Polish presidential election, which saw President Andrzej Duda use anti-LGBT rhetoric, have led to protest from LGBT rights activists, who adopted direct action tactics. Women wearing black participate in a nationwide pro-abortion protest on 3 October 2016 in Warsaw, Poland. The changes at the court are part of controversial judicial reforms that have put Poland on a collision course with the EU over concerns they undermine judicial independence and the rule of law. Teraz się tłumaczą, dlaczego to robili", "Polish court rules campaign linking LGBT and paedophilia is 'informative and educational, "Polish activists fight against anti-LGBT movement", "Mężczyźni najbardziej boją się gejów i Gender, kobiety zapaści ochrony zdrowia. Cher 'amazed' at lonely elephant rescue. Its commissioner for human rights, Dunja Mijatović, called it “a sad day for #WomensRights”. She presented herself for arrest while hundreds of sympathizers protested the arrest. According to a 2019 survey, 24% of Poles believe that the LGBT movement is the greatest threat facing their country. The future is uncertain. They are taking place in over 150 cities and towns in Poland, 90 percent of which have less than 50,000 inhabitants. Protesters block a crossing in downtown Warsaw on the 12th straight day of anti-government protests that were triggered by the tightening of Poland's strict abortion law and are continuing despite an anti-COVID-19 ban on public gatherings. The police initially declined to arrest her, but later tried to do so and were physically, but non-violently blocked by activists. Protests follow ruling that law allowing abortion of malformed foetuses is incompatible with constitution, Sat 24 Oct 2020 15.31 BST Włoch stał obok, dostał zarzuty i dozór policyjny", "KMPT wizytuje policyjne miejsca detencji po nocnych zatrzymaniach w Warszawie", "Polish Stonewall? "[17] Former police commandant of Zgierz district, Iwona Lewandowska, stated that the response "ruined the image of the police". [51], On 8 August, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights released a statement criticizing excessive arrests and police brutality in connection with the previous day's mass arrest, which was signed by dozens of other Polish civil society groups. Nationwide protests Saturday were scheduled to coincide with Polish women gaining the right to vote 102 years ago. [16][40] A 13 August march in Leipzig was attended by 300 people,[41] and Rainbow Slovakia activists hung a rainbow flag on the statue of John Paul II in Bratislava. [31], After word got out of the arrests, sympathizers gathered outside the police stations to protest, and multiple parliamentarians, including Magdalena Filiks [pl] and Klaudia Jachira of Civic Coalition, visited the police stations to ensure that detainees' human rights were respected. [7] Not all LGBT people in Poland agree with Stop Bzdurom's tactics. Police detained several people as women-led protests … [36] On 17 August, there was a solidarity demonstration in Plac Stulecia [pl], Sosnowiec, attended by about 20 people including Modern MP Monika Rosa and local politician Janusz Kubicki. On 7 August 2020, a protest against the arrest of LGBT activist Margot led to a confrontation with police in central Warsaw and resulted in the arrest of 47 others, some of whom were peacefully protesting and others who were bystanders to the event, dubbed "Polish Stonewall" in an analogy to the 1969 Stonewall riots. [23][25] Some protestors used civil disobedience to prevent this. "[29][32] and "She will never walk alone!" The impact of Covid-19 on the scale, demography and length of current protests cannot be underestimated. The court has been reformed by the PiS government, and has since been accused of counting many judges loyal to the party in its ranks. Trwa łapanka obrońców aktywistki LGBT", "Protest w Warszawie. "Jeszcze tęczowa Polska nie zginęła! [3][7] LGBT organizations such as Campaign Against Homophobia and Tolerado have attempted to stop the vans by reporting them to the police; however, these efforts have been mostly unsuccessful due to the lack of recognition of anti-LGBT speech in Poland's hate speech laws. Angered protesters block rush-hour traffic at a major roundabout on the fifth day of nationwide protests against a recent court ruling that tightened further ... Poland, on Monday, Oct. 26, 2020. Poland’s mass protests for abortion rights: ‘This is war’ A proposal to ban most terminations has triggered the largest rallies post-communism Poland has witnessed. [49] Trzaskowski stated that the response to the protest was "grossly disproportionate". 'A backlash against a patriarchal culture': How Polish protests go beyond abortion rights, Poland delays abortion ban as nationwide protests continue, Bagpipes and techno blast at Warsaw pro-choice march, but menace lurks, Pro-choice supporters hold biggest-ever protest against Polish government, Polish hospitals begin turning away women seeking abortions, Poland's abortion ban is a cynical attempt to exploit religion by a failing leader, Polish pro-choice protests continue with blockades and red paint, The price of choice – the fight over abortion in Poland | photo essay. Undeterred, activists continue to block vans and drape rainbow flags despite others facing criminal charges for these actions. The excessive arrests and police brutality on 7 August were criticized by the Polish Ombudsman, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights [pl], Council of Europe human rights commissioner, and dozens of celebrities including Margaret Atwood. A representative of the police did not answer all questions posed by opposition MPs, refusing to say why it was necessary to arrest the demonstrators. Some detainees were beaten, subjected to unnecessary strip-searches, or denied access to lawyers. Czy obserwujemy narodziny polskiego Stonewall? Funds", "LGBT campaigners denounce President Duda's comments on "communism, "Poland's Presidential Election Was Close but Voters Remain Far Apart", "Po zatrzymaniu Margot. Widespread protests have roiled Poland since Thursday, after the government imposed tighter restrictions on abortion. Several MPs were in attendance: Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, Beata Maciejewska [pl], Małgorzata Prokop-Paczkowska [pl], Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, Anna Maria Żukowska, Katarzyna Ueberhan [pl], Magdalena Biejat [pl], Krzysztof Śmiszek, and Maciej Gdula (all from The Left) and Barbara Nowacka, Urszula Zielińska [pl], and Monika Rosa [pl] from Civic Coalition. [16][7], In late July, Stop Bzdurom placed rainbow flags and anarchist bandanas on statues of Nicolaus Copernicus, Józef Piłsudski, the Mermaid of Warsaw, and Jesus in Warsaw. [24], To justify their actions, police later released a video of the mass arrest called "Through the eyes of the police", which did not show any violence on the part of the protesters. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki appealed for people to stop protesting — on a day when Poland noted a record 21,628 COVID-19 cases. [20] On 5 August, Margot, Madej, and another activist involved in the flag drapings were arrested for "insulting religious feelings and disrespecting Warsaw monuments", charged, and released after about 40 hours. Instrukcja", "What's Next for Poland's LGBTQ Activists After Violent Protests", "Heftige Proteste in Warschau – LGBT-Community nimmt Margots Verhaftung nicht hin", "In Poland, the Rainbow Flag Is Wrapped Up in a Broader Culture War", "Polish police arrest three for 'insulting religious feelings' after LGBT+ rights activists give Jesus statue Pride makeover", "Protesters Try to Block Detention of Polish LGBT Activist", "Polish police crack down on LGBTQ protesters", "Mass Arrest of LGBT People Marks Turning Point for Poland", "Jesteśmy zrozpaczeni, wściekli i dumni. There are already fewer than 2,000 legal abortions a year in Poland, and the vast majority take place because of malformed foetuses. People demonstrate against police violence and an attempted restriction on abortion rights in Warsaw Poland, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020. The drivers know where the Stop Bzdurom activists live and target their place of residence. Women’s groups estimate that as many as 200,000 procedures are performed illegally or abroad each year. Thousands of protesters vented fury across Poland over a top court ruling that declared abortions of fetuses with congenital defects unconstitutional, ... (@CommissionerHR) October 22, 2020. [7][13] One target is the vans belonging to Fundacja Pro [pl], which are covered in anti-LGBT slogans associating homosexuality and pedophilia, a message which the vans also broadcast on loudspeakers. The letter asks the European Commission "to take immediate steps to defend core European values – equality, non-discrimination, respect for minorities – which are being blatantly violated in Poland" and calls upon the Polish government "to hold accountable those who are responsible for unlawful and violent arrests of August 7, 2020" and "to stop targeting sexual minorities". [7] Former prime minister Donald Tusk tweeted, "Jesus has always been on the side of the weaker and the harmed, never on the side of the oppressive governments". Protests against the ruling by Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal that imposes a near-total ban on abortion in Glasgow, Scotland. [5] Duda narrowly won the election, by the thinnest margin since the end of the Soviet Union. [7][14][15] Stop Bzdurom activists took a different approach, spray-painting the vans and breaking off their license plates. The protesters were reacting to Thursday’s ruling by Poland’s highest court that an existing law allowing the abortion of malformed foetuses was incompatible with the constitution. The police then arrested 48 people: Margot, protestors, and others who had not taken part in the demonstration. The protests continue in Poland. Bodnar added that he thought it was unnecessary to arrest so many people and that the excessive police actions "constituted abuse of human rights". Mass demonstrations have exposed underlying anger at political and religious interference in people’s everyday lives, Anti-government rallies continue over court’s ruling to restrict access to terminations, Women’s rights protesters incensed by the country’s strict new laws clash with rightwing gangs in the Polish capital, About 100,00o people take to the streets of Warsaw to oppose tightened abortion law, Available for everyone, funded by readers. Protesters vented anger for a second day across Poland over the new abortion laws. [43][44], The week after the mass arrest, in Szczecin an activist was cited for carrying a sign stating "Jesus would walk with us", which was alleged to fall under the crime of "offending religious feelings". Activists pinned a rainbow flag to the Copernicus monument[33] and criticized Trzaskowski for not attending the demonstration. A large crowd of LGBT rights supporters gathered in Warsaw on Saturday to protest the arrest of a … On 16 August, a right-wing demonstration was held in Warsaw opposing "LGBT aggression". Demonstrators burned a rainbow flag—which counter-demonstrators stated was stolen from them—and shouted, "Away with deviation" and "How's Margot?" Nationwide protests … Elsewhere in Poland protesters gathered in main squares, outside PiS … [24] Later, police visited the addresses of the arrestees, which a spokesperson for Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights [pl] said was unusual and unwarranted except for serious crime, and could be considered a form of police harassment. Elsewhere in Poland protesters gathered in main squares, outside PiS premises or near churches. [45] The protests in the United Kingdom were organized by members of the Polish diaspora. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have also condemned the ruling. Ranks of police in riot gear barred their way. [26] The next day, thousands of mostly young people gathered in Warsaw to protest the arrests, using slogans such as "You will not lock all of us up! Photo: Getty Images. The ruling means abortions will only be allowed in instances of rape, incest or if there is a threat to the woman’s life. Protesters decry government's anti-LGBTQ attitudes", "Policja w domach zatrzymanych po proteście w obronie Margot", "W całym kraju demonstracje solidarności z osobami LGBT i "Margot. In 2020… Sat 24 Oct 2020 10.31 EDT Last modified on Sat 24 Oct 2020 14.37 EDT. “I’m not asking that we forget about the conflict over abortion, but to put it aside for a better time,” he said Friday afternoon.. [10][11], Some LGBT activists, including the collective "Stop Bzdurom" ("Stop Bullshit"[12]), have adopted illegal direct action tactics due to frustration with what they see as increasing, state-sponsored attacks against them. Poland’s rightwing government has delayed implementation of a controversial court ruling that would outlaw almost all abortion after it prompted the largest protests since the fall of communism. (Image: AP) LGBT rights supporters protest in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. image caption It is the second night of protests in Poland. ... Beavers, burpees and bread: 2020's most-searched. "[24][28] Campaign Against Homophobia reported that "The police were aggressively pushing the protesters out of the way, knocking people to the ground and holding them down with their boots". The names and ranks of the officers were missing on the uniforms. Krok po kroku przypominamy, dlaczego doszło do zatrzymania aktywistki LGBT", "Homofobiczne auta i banery – jak reagować? "Demonstracje solidarności z Margot i LGBT. The signatories "express our deep concern about the unprecedented attack on the LGBT + community in Poland" and "call on the Polish authorities to release Małgorzata Szutowicz immediately and to guarantee the rights of LGBT + people". Police had to protect them from a larger group of counter-demonstrators who threatened and insulted the participants in the soldiarity demonstration; one of them was later criminally charged for making threats. [50] However, Minister of Justice Zbigniew Ziobro, of United Poland party, defended the police response and said "defense of banditry by politicians is unheard of". [3][7] Łania Madej, a member of the group, stated, "We do it only for the queer kids who run with us and they have a little bit of fun and feel brave for 10 minutes. [6][7][8][9] According to ILGA-Europe's 2020 report, Poland is ranked worst among European Union countries for LGBT rights. Thousands of people marched in cities across Poland on Saturday in the third straight day of protests against a near-total ban on abortion, with some promising further action in the coming days. Minister murem za służbami po zatrzymaniu aktywistki", "Oświadczenie w sprawie wydarzeń w Warszawie w nocy z 7 na 8 sierpnia 2020 r. po zatrzymaniu aktywistki LGBT+ – Margot", "Kobiety "Solidarności" w obronie osób LGBT: Użycie siły wobec najsłabszych dyskwalifikuje władzę", "Ksiądz Boniecki i rabin Schudrich podpisali poręczenie dla Margot", "MEPs slam EU Commission over for its silence following LGBT arrests in Poland", "Naukowcy świata do polskich władz: natychmiast uwolnić Margot", "Stars sign letter supporting LGBT rights in Poland", "LGBT+ Community in Poland: a Letter of Solidarity and Protest", "Dozens of celebrities voice support for Polish LGBT+ rights", "Komendant i wiceminister tłumaczą się z brutalności policji", "Policja pacyfikuje pokojową demonstrację po decyzji o areszcie dla aktywistki LGBT (photo essay)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=August_2020_LGBT_protests_in_Poland&oldid=988213108, Articles with Polish-language sources (pl), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 11 November 2020, at 20:04. [29] Those arrested were initially not given the reason for their arrest, but later told that they might face charges for "taking part in an illegal gathering during the COVID-19 pandemic". 6 Nov 2020 Students protest in home villages "[3] Małgorzata Szutowicz, better known as Margot, is another member of Stop Bzdurom and Madej's partner. [3][17][18] The activists released a manifesto, stating, "As long as the rainbow scandalizes anybody and is treated as inappropriate we solemnly pledge to provoke". Six people in Kraków were cited for hanging a rainbow flag over a statue of the Wawel Dragon; possible charges suggested by the police included "putting an object in the wrong place" and "disturbing public order". Thousands of mainly young protesters gathered on Friday night near the Warsaw home of Jarosław Kaczyński, considered Poland’s ultimate powerbroker as leader of the PiS. Poland’s right-wing government is delaying the publication and implementation of a high court ruling that tightens the abortion law and that has triggered almost two weeks of nationwide protests.

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