Homophobic thugs take to the streets in Warsaw, Poland, to burn flame-resistant rainbow flags and demand a ban on Prides
Far-right protesters attempt to burn a rainbow flag as they protest against the LGBT community on August 16, 2020 in Warsaw, Poland. (Omar Marques/Getty)
Hundreds of anti-LGBT+ nationalists took to the streets of Warsaw on Sunday, as homophobic sentiment reaches new heights in Poland.
Participants at the central Warsaw rally attempted to burn flame-resistant rainbow flags and demanded a ban on Pride parades, as the homophobic moral panic in the country reaches fever pitch.
An activist attempts to burn a rainbow flag in front of the Warsaw University (Wojtek RADWANSKI / AFP)
Addressing the crowd, far-right MP Krzysztof Bosak vowed to reject LGBT+ ideology, insisting: “Expressing open opposition to the cultural revolution that the extreme left wants to carry out is our moral duty and the only means to stop it.”
He added: “We must be active, we must stop this revolution… let us not allow this minority to impose political correctness.”
The group succeeded in singing the edges of a rainbow flag (WOJTEK RADWANSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
Bosak was the far-right Confederation’s candidate in the presidential election earlier this year, sweeping up 6.78 per cent of the vote in the first round.
LGBT+ campaigners vow to resist hatred.
A second protest in favour of LGBT+ rights was held directly opposite the rally, with police separating the two groups as they both chanted slogans.
An LGBT activist wears a rainbow flag during a counter protest against an anti-LGBT far right rally on August 16, 2020 in Warsaw, Poland. (Omar Marques/Getty Images)
The pro-LGBT+ group chalked a giant rainbow down the street in front of Warsaw University ahead of the two protests.
The Campaign Against Homophobia wrote: “Where they plan to shout slogans of hate, a symbol of the fight for freedom, equality, love and democracy is waiting!”
Police stand guard after the street is painted in rainbow colours (WOJTEK RADWANSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
Homophobes have taken to the streets repeatedly over the past few months, most recently cutting up rainbow flags and chanting homophobic slogans during a march to mark the anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising during World War Two.
Politicians have repeatedly stoked anti-LGBT+ hatred in Poland.
Politicians in the country have been accused of fostering a homophobic ‘moral panic’ for their own ends.
LGBT+ people are a popular punching bag for the country’s conservative government, with right-wing president Andrzej Duda narrowly winning re-election last month after making homophobia one of the core planks of his campaign.
In a “family charter” published ahead of the election, Duda pledged to “prohibit the propagation of this ideology” in public institutions and “defend the institution of marriage” as defined as a “relationship between a women and a man”.
With days to go until the run-off vote, Duda also proposed an amendment to Poland’s constitution that would ban same-sex couples from adopting children. He said: “I am convinced that, thanks to this, children’s safety and concern for the good of children will be ensured to a much greater extent.”
As part of the politically-driven attack on LGBT+ people, nearly 100 Polish municipal or local governments have proclaimed themselves zones “free from LGBT+ ideology” and opposing gay “propaganda” – covering nearly a third of the country.
The European Parliament passed a resolution that strongly condemned the concept of LGBT-free zones in December, noting that they are “part of a broader context of attacks against the LGBT+ community in Poland, which include growing hate speech by public and elected officials and public media, as well as attacks and bans on Pride marches”.
