Hundreds of people took part in an anti-lockdown protest in the Polish city of Białystok yesterday. Police issued dozens of fines and referrals to court against the mostly maskless participants for violating coronavirus restrictions.
Police estimate that 300 people took part in the march, though some media reports put the figure at 500. Participants chanted “Down with masks”, “Children back to school” and “Put the government on trial”, reports the Polish Press Agency (PAP).
The protesters also carried a 50-metre-long Polish flag and chanted slogans associated with nationalist marches, such as “It’s us, it’s us, the Poles” and “Down with communism”, notes Gazeta Wyborcza.
Conspiratorial views – such as that the “truth” about “COVID-1984” is being hidden, that restrictions are a way of “taming” the population, and that vaccines should not be used – were also heard at the event.
Far-right groups in Poland have been prominent in organising and supporting protests against restrictions. This morning, Confederation (Konfederacja), a far-right party with 11 MPs, tweeted “#StopLockdown”.
Braun has likened the compulsory wearing of masks to how the Nazis forced Jews to wear armbands as a first step on the way to ghettoisation and then death.
He wants prosecutors to bring charges against ministers for introducing "illegal" restrictions https://t.co/97ioAo86KQ
— Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) April 14, 2021
A number of chants and banners at the march called for the reopening of businesses. One participant, 60-year-old Małgorzata, told Gazeta Wyborcza that the shop she runs in a school has had “100% losses” since education was moved online last year.
Last week, the government renewed restrictions that require hotels, gyms and many shops to close, and restaurants to offer only takeaway services. A number of businesses have, however, been reopening in violating of the rules, some of which have been found unlawful by courts.
Over the weekend, development minister Jarosław Gowin – who is also the leader of a pro-business junior party in Poland’s ruling coalition – expressed hope that restrictions could begin to be “gradually removed” from early May. Restaurants and hotels would be first in line to reopen, he said.
At the march, a representative of the Congress of Polish Business, a group whose president is a leading figure from Confederation, said she “encourages all business owners to exercise their rights and open their businesses” instead of giving in to the “pandemic of psychosis and fear”, reports Poranny.pl.
Most of those in attendance at Sunday’s protest did not wear masks, as is required in all indoor and outdoor public spaces in Poland. Organised gatherings are also currently limited to no more than five people, who should remain at least 1.5 metres apart at all times.
As a result of such violations, police issued 47 on-the-spot fines and a further 41 applications to court for more severe punishments. One man was arrested after the rally for insulting a police officer.
While he was being detained, a woman fell while reportedly tussling with a police officer. An ambulance was called but she refused to be taken to hospital. Police are analysing recordings of the event to ascertain what happened, reports PAP.
Main image credit: Grzegorz Dąbrowski/Agencja Gazeta
Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland. He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications, including Foreign Policy, POLITICO Europe, EUobserver and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
