The “Super Express” debate between Poland’s presidential nominees lasted almost three hours, according to the Do Rzeczy news portal. After the fireworks, Magdalena Biejat, The Left’s candidate, announced she would be filing a report with the prosecutor’s office regarding the “hateful statements” of Grzegorz Braun (Confederation of the Polish Crown) during the debate.
Biejat made her announcement on the X platform.
“Democracy is a space for clashes of views. Sometimes extreme ones. But this freedom to clash views cannot be an excuse for propagating hatred. And this should unite everyone beyond divisions,” the Left’s candidate wrote, adding, “Regarding the hateful statements Grzegorz Braun made during today’s debate, I will file a report to the prosecutor’s office tomorrow.”
Adrian Zandberg, the candidate of the Razem party, said to Braun during a debate: “You said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal. Putin also has the blood of civilians on his hands. Why are you defending yourself from openly saying that Putin is a criminal?”
“Thank God we do not border a Jewish state located in Palestine, because then the genocidal policy advertised by Israel’s ministers, rabbis and generals could easily turn against us,” replied Braun.
“As we border Russia, we should strive to normalize relations,” in the name of not just friendship but good business, he argued.
Later, while debating Rafał Trzaskowski (KO), Braun spoke about the “Ukrainization” and “Judaization” of Poland, pointing out that just a few days prior, the KO candidate was wearing “a Jewish daffodil, this symbol of shame.”
Daffodils are used to commemorate the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising every year in Poland on April 19, when Jews fought back against the destruction of their neighborhood and refused to surrender to the Nazi occupiers. Some 7,000 Jews were killed, while another 7,000 were ultimately deported to concentration camps.
“What are you talking about?! What a disgrace?! It was the ghetto uprising! What are you talking about?! These are the heroes of our history! Something unbelievable! I won’t listen to this, thank you,” Trzaskowski said before leaving the podium.
Braun is well known for his nationalist, Catholic antics, especially regarding Jews. His latest stunt, before this debate, was taking a female doctor hostage inside a hospital due to her having performed an allegedly illegal, late-term abortion. The complaint against him claims he verbally abused the doctor and shoved her, while keeping her from treating patients for nearly an hour, holding her inside her office against her will.
