A large demonstration took place in Warsaw on Wednesday, and the web has been awash with footage of clashes between the protesting farmers and the police. Car tires were burned in front of the Prime Minister’s chancellery, and there were clashes with police outside of parliament.
According to the police, several police officers were injured, and several demonstrators were arrested. Demonstrators were also accused of trying to enter parliament illegally.
Conservative (PiS) MP Adam Andruszkiewicz accused the government of showing the demonstrators fists rather than a smiling face. He told Dorzeczy.pl news outlet that the Donald Tusk government is charging farmers with batons for daring to protest against its policies, rather than having an open discussion with them.
The MP accused the Tusk government and Speaker of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia of trying to intimidate Poles.
“Beneath the facade of a smiling Poland, the clenched fists of Tusk and Hołownia aimed at citizens have been exposed. We are witnessing how the government beats and suppresses Poles who have come with flags in hand to protest against its disastrous governance. Rather than engaging in dialogue or inviting them to the Sejm, the government sets its law enforcement on them to pacify the situation,” said Andruszkiewicz.
Andruszkiewicz also said that the government was activating a propaganda machine to build a narrative that it was the farmers who were violent, while the government was merely enforcing law and order.
“We have been hit with the rule-of-law stick right from the outset of this government. Force was used to take over public television and now demonstrators are getting beaten too,” he said. Andruszkiewicz also said that fortunately independent media outlets were present to report on the police force used to attack protesting farmers.
One of the leaders of the Confederation party, MP Sławomir Mentzen, attended the demonstration and accused the police of using tear gas against him and other demonstrators who were standing peacefully.
He accused the police of “escalating” rather than trying to defuse the situation. He added that this seemed to be a return to the days when the police attacked the Independence Day marches during the lifetime of the last Tusk government. Mentzen reported that he had been helped by paramedics after the police assault.
Farmers are protesting against the Green Deal and imports from Ukraine. They claim that the embargo against Ukrainian grain has proved ineffective since the transit, which is allowed, is not properly controlled.
The opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party has now demanded that the government should stop all Ukrainian food products from entering Poland.
