Protests in Poland turned violent this week as tens of thousands of farmers and police clashed in the capital city of Warsaw.
The farmers are upset about two main issues that are compromising
their livelihoods: European Union climate policies and Ukrainian food
imports. First, they have been calling for the restrictions that were
imposed on them through the EU’s Green Deal plan for addressing climate
change to be amended. In addition, they want to see customs duties on agricultural imports from Ukraine that have been waived since the Russian invasion to be reimposed.
Wednesday’s protests, which were the most violent yet, began
outside the prime minister’s office, with protesters marching toward
parliament while farmers blocked highways going into Warsaw with their
tractors. Police used batons, tear gas, stun grenades and pepper spray
against protesters, some of whom threw rocks and firecrackers at police.
Supporters also turned up, many of whom were hunters, foresters and miners. Many protesters carried signs
with anti-Ukrainian slogans. One person carried a coffin with a sign
that read “Farmer, lived 20 years, killed by the Green Deal” while
another person carried a banner that said “I want to be a farmer, not a
slave to Brussels.”
In videos shared on social media, police officers can be seen
hitting protesting farmers and journalists with batons and tear gas in
violent scenes that shocked many locals. One video showed a protester
being arrested in dramatic fashion, with a Polish flag being ripped out
of his arms. At least 23 people were arrested overall.
In a post on X, the Warsaw police defended their actions,
writing: “Due to physical aggression against police officers by some of
the people protesting … it was necessary to use direct coercive
measures.”
Farmers’ union leader Tomasz Obszanski told Reuters
that police blocked them from leaving when the protest ended. He said:
“Everything was peaceful and suddenly the police came out of nowhere,
there were loud bangs, the police started using (tear) gas and simply
provoking people leaving the protest.”
He warned that further action would be taken after Prime Minister
Donald Tusk declined to meet with them. “After what happened today,
there will be a blockade of the entire country … Poland will come to a
standstill, because a Polish farmer will not allow himself to be
treated in such a way, to be batonned,” he cautioned.
Tusk government under pressure
The government said that some parties may have tried to take
advantage of the largely legal protests to sow civil unrest. Interior
Minister Marcin Kierwinski said: “I want to make it clear: We need to
differentiate between two categories. The farmers, who were protesting
in accordance with the law. But we were also dealing with a small group
of hooligans and provocateurs who attacked the police.”
The protests are adding to the pressure on Prime Minister Donald
Tusk, who recently took office and previously served as a president of
the European Council; he is widely considered to be staunchly in favor
of the EU. He has also expressed support for Ukraine in its fight
against Russia.
Polish farmers enjoy widespread support from citizens, and the way the protests are being handled
is damaging the image of the Tusk government. Tusk has said that the
farmers’ frustrations are justified and has claimed he will propose
amendments to the Green Deal. He invited farmer leaders for
conversations this weekend, but the concessions he has offered them so
far have not been enough to win them over.
(Article by Cassie B. republished from NaturalNews.com)
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Author: Planet Today
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