Poland: Banning abortions is not enough, some more state violence is welcome!

During the last six months, Poland witnessed one of the largest protests in its modern history. Polish youth took to the streets, en masse, against the barbaric ruling of the Constitutional Tribunal, which nearly ruled out legal abortions. Now the police and the prosecutors are harassing those who took part in the demonstrations.
Yesterday a solidarity protest with 19 y.o. Zofia Frąckowiak was held near one of the police stations in Poznań, a city in Western Poland. The ‘crime’ was transporting people in a trailer, and using a sound system during one of the multiple demonstrations this winter. Frąckowiak was indeed driving the car at the head of one of the marches.

“I find these accusations absurd, let’s see how this will unfold in the court of law” she said, after leaving the police station. She was charged with participation in an illegal gathering.
More than a dozen people gathered at the police headquarters in Old Town, Poznań, on Thursday. Among them were other participants from the Women’s Strike who were harassed by the police in the aftermath. For example, 18 y.o. Zuzanna Kozak. She is being actively framed by the Polish police into having ‘organized an illegal demonstration’ on December 19.
Recently, another scandalous case surfaced of another female activist from Poznań who is facing two years in prison for ‘insulting a church’ by throwing three eggs at the facade of the building.
The spokesman for the Poznań police admitted that there are currently 16 legal proceedings against participants in the Women’s Strike.
The repression, however, seems to have an effect contrary to the one expected by the authorities. In Gdańsk and Sopot (cities in northern Poland), protesters picketed this week in front of multiple churches despite the police obstruction.
The demonstration in front of the monumental St. Mary Church in Gdańsk was supposed to take place a week earlier, but the police forcefully prevented banners from being placed near the church and also threatened the people. Activists then responded with massive action, not at one but at 19 churches in Gdańsk and Sopot. The happenings were not announced on social media, so the police couldn’t thwart them.

“We are fed up with the Church! We are tired of living in a religious state where bishops dictate the laws and politicians follow! We want to live in a country where everyone has the right to freedom of conscience and religion,” said Agnieszka Łoboda, one of the organizers of the event.
“We’re not against religion. We simply want the separation of the State and the Church” she added.
“With this protest, we also want to demonstrate what we have been pointing out since we took to the streets: We will not be intimidated and blackmailed! We will not allow ourselves to be taken away from our rights to protest peacefully!” was written in a statement published by the organizers.
The struggle against Catholic Fundamentalism in Poland continues!
Photo: A demand for “secular state” was raised before 19 churches in Gdansk and Sopot in Poland (source: Facebook)
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