LGBT supporters protest in Warsaw, Poland 7 August 2020. Adam Stepien / Agencja Gazeta via REUTERS
WARSAW (Reuters) – Polish police say they have arrested 48 people after Protestants tried to stop them arresting an LGBT activist accused of hanging rainbow flags over statues in Warsaw and damaging a van’s life.
Crowds of Protestants shouted “Shame, shame!” ran into a police car in the center of the capital on Friday to try to drive it with the activist inside. A court sentenced the activist to two months in prison.
Members of the anti-homophobia group “Stop Bzdurom” said last week they hung flags on statues of Jesus and other figures as part of a fight for LGBT rights, an issue at the heart of public debate in Poland during last month’s presidential election.
The ruling nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party says LGBT rights are part of what it calls an invasive foreign ideology that upholds Polish values and the traditional family.
Condemning Friday’s protest, Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro said Polish authorities had to “make even more violent” attacks by activists or actions.
“Tomorrow, this knife that was used to cut the car and tires (from the pro-life campaign) will be used to stab people simply because we do not like their opinions,” Ziobro told a news conference on Saturday. .
The Commissioner for Human Rights at the Council of Europe, a watchdog for rights, called for the immediate release of the activist.
“Order to detain her for 2 months sends a very cool signal for freedom of speech and LGBT rights in Poland,” tweeted Commissioner Dunja Mijatovic.
Stop Bzdurom and other groups called for a protest in Warsaw on Saturday in solidarity with LGBT people.
Report by Marcin Goclowski and Alicja Ptak; Edited by Andrew Heavens and Gareth Jones
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