Hundreds of thousands in Poland join largest political protest in recent years

By Murat Temizer

WARSAW (AA) - Massive protests on Sunday swept across Poland, as hundreds of thousands of people took the to the streets to protest high prices and push for free elections and democracy and a “European Poland."

Demonstrators gathered in response to the call by Donald Tusk, the leader of the Civic Platform (PO) party, the country’s largest opposition party.

The call made by Tusk near the 34th anniversary of the first free elections held in Poland on June 4, 1989 got a large response from the public, with people coming together for the biggest political protest in recent years.

Thousands came together in the capital, Warsaw, and the area designated for the demonstrations and march could not accommodate them all, so they spilled over into other major streets and roads.

Marchers carried banners with slogans such as "Constitution," "Democracy," "We Will Win," "Enough is Enough," and "Poland is Europe," alongside Polish and EU flags.

Rafal Trzaskowski, the Warsaw mayor who ran against current President Andrzej Duda in 2020 and lost by some 400,000 votes, and Tusk also took part in the march.

Addressing the crowd, Tusk said: "Today is the anniversary of free elections. Let all of Poland, Europe, the world, and everyone see how strong we are. Just like years ago, how many of us are ready to fight again for democracy and a free Poland? We will win."

Trzaskowski, saying that people from all over Poland took part in Sunday’s march, added: "We want a democratic Poland, a free Poland, a European Poland."

"I firmly believe that we will achieve victory. There is a reason why we came here on June 4. We need to rebuild this community, a community of free people, a community of brave people. Wake up Poland. We will win," he said.

Marcin, a Polish citizen who took part in the march, told Anadolu, "We don't want to break away from Europe. We don't want to be like Belarus," widely seen as a pariah to the European Union.

Another Polish citizen, Szymon, said: "(Parliamentary) elections will take place in October and November. We want to stay on the European path. We should not deviate from democracy."