Polish Language Blog
Menu
Search

Protesters attack police on Polish Independence Day Posted by on Nov 13, 2011 in Culture, Current News

Independence Day in Poland was not the quiet one this year…

Dozens of protesters attacked police in Warsaw during Poland’s Independence Day celebrations on Friday.

210 people were arrested, many of them were anarchists from Germany.

The demonstration by far-right groups was countered by a peaceful march of some 300 left-wing protesters, who held anti-capitalist banners and chanted slogans.

The violence happened despite an earlier call for calm by President Bronisław Komorowski.

“Let’s not tell people how to love Poland, let’s not celebrate Independence Day by fighting, let’s celebrate it together,” he said in a speech.

November 11, 2011 marks the 93rd anniversary since Poland regained its independence after 123 years of foreign rule by Russia, Austria and Prussia.

Forty police officers were injured and 14 patrol cars damaged during the disturbances. Twenty nine people were treated in hospitals. A transmission van from the TVN television station was set on fire and a Polish Radio vehicle was stoned by nationalists.

Polish prosecutors have filed criminal charges against 46 people suspected of attacking police.

The charges come as Polish authorities have moved quickly to put on trial some of the 210 people arrested in Friday’s attacks. Officials are taking a tough stance against violence before the Euro 2012 soccer championships next year.

Do następnego razu… (Till next time…)

Keep learning Polish with us!

Build vocabulary, practice pronunciation, and more with Transparent Language Online. Available anytime, anywhere, on any device.

Try it Free Find it at your Library
Share this:
Pin it

About the Author: Kasia

My name is Kasia Scontsas. I grew near Lublin, Poland and moved to Warsaw to study International Business. I have passion for languages: any languages! Currently I live in New Hampshire. I enjoy skiing, kayaking, biking and paddle boarding. My husband speaks a little Polish, but our daughters are fluent in it! I wanted to make sure that they can communicate with their Polish relatives in our native language. Teaching them Polish since they were born was the best thing I could have given them! I have been writing about learning Polish language and culture for Transparent Language’s Polish Blog since 2010.