Wanderlust

Tag: warsaw

  • Polish police use tear gas to protect gay rights march

    Polish police used tear gas and a water cannon Saturday against right-wing extremists who were trying to block the first equality parade in the city of Lublin in eastern Poland.

    WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish police used tear gas and a water cannon Saturday against right-wing extremists who were trying to block the first equality parade in the city of Lublin in eastern Poland.

    More than 1,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights activists with rainbow-colored flags and banners gathered Saturday in Lublin for the parade, while around 300 right-wing opponents stood in the march’s way. Police used tear gas, concussion grenades and high-pressured water to disperse them.

    The right-wing protesters pelted police with stones and dispersed, but some small groups tried to get through the police cordon that was protecting the march.

    The colorful parade then proceeded undisturbed.

    The march took place after Lublin’s Court of Appeals on Friday overruled a ban by Mayor Krzysztof Zuk, who had cited security concerns as his reason for banning the parade.

    Gay rights parades have been taking place for years in Warsaw, the capital, and many other cities in predominantly Catholic Poland, but the ruling conservative party is not supportive of gay rights groups.

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    This story has been corrected to show that 300 right-wing extremists tried to block the parade, not 3,000.

  • Poland protests: Heaps rally towards courtroom changes

    Polish protesters in Warsaw, 26 Jul 18 Symbol copyright AFP Symbol caption Protesters held placards announcing “charter” within the “Chain of Lighting” rally

    Thousands of protesters have rallied in significant Warsaw chanting “Disgrace!” after Poland’s president granted the nationalist govt more energy over court docket appointments.

    Many held candles and pens symbolising President Andrzej Duda’s readiness to sign the debatable legal changes.

    It is now more straightforward for the federal government to nominate a new Very Best Courtroom chief.

    In an remarkable move, the eu Fee is investigating Poland for allegedly undermining the guideline of law.

    Many Poles and human rights activists accuse the government of politicising the judiciary, weakening its independence.

    Symbol copyright Reuters Symbol caption Protesters stuffed the sq. outdoor the presidential palace in Warsaw

    Reuters information company studies that police used pepper spray right through some scuffles outdoor the presidential palace in Warsaw.

    Protests also took place in additional than 20 Polish cities and towns on Thursday night towards the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party’s court docket reforms.

    The PiS argues that Poland’s judiciary used to be no longer correctly reformed after the tip of communism in 1989 and that the courts wish to be fairer and extra efficient.

    For greater than a yr there have been “Chain of Lights” demonstrations tough judicial independence.

    Extradition blocked

    Under the PiS shake-up of the judiciary, about one-3rd of the Perfect Court’s 73 judges had been forced to retire early.

    But the Very Best Courtroom chief justice, Prof Malgorzata Gersdorf, has refused to depart her task.

    Top Polish pass judgement on defies retirement legislation EUROPEAN steps up Poland row over judges’ jobs

    The EU’s top courtroom, the ecu Court Docket of Justice (ECJ), on Wednesday backed the eu Fee’s complaint of the Polish reforms.

    The ECJ established an Irish judge’s argument that a Pole won’t be extradited to Poland if his proper to an even trial was once in doubt.

    A Ecu Arrest Warrant was once issued for the Polish suspect, accused of gear offences, however the Irish Top Court feared the case may well be compromised by a scarcity of judicial independence in Poland.

    The ECJ ruling provides a criminal foundation for ECU nations to reject Polish arrest and extradition warrants.