Police use tear gas on Polish protestors demanding businesses reopen
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Police
in Warsaw used tear gas on Saturday against protestors demanding the
government act faster to allow businesses to reopen following a
coronavirus shutdown.
Presidential
candidate, Pawel Tanajno uses a megaphone during an anti-government
protest, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in
Warsaw, Poland, May 16, 2020. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
Hundreds
of protestors gathered in Warsaw’s Old Town in the early afternoon,
carrying signs saying “Work and bread” and “It will be normal again.”
Poland
has been steadily loosening coronavirus restrictions in recent weeks in
an effort to cushion the economy. Hair salons and restaurants are
expected to reopen with new safety measures in place on Monday.
But
the protestors, who have gathered in Warsaw repeatedly in recent weeks,
say restrictions need to be lifted further in order for them to sustain
their livelihoods.
Police blocked the planned march, saying in a
statement published on Twitter that public gatherings are still banned
under the government restrictions.
“Unfortunately we are dealing
with cases of aggression towards police. Due to the attacks on civil
servants, we used methods of direct confrontation such as physical force
and (tear) gas,” the Warsaw police said in a tweet.
Jacek Bury,
a senator and member of Poland’s main opposition grouping, the Civic
Coalition, said he was detained by police during the protest and that
they used force against him.
As a senator, Bury would have
immunity from being prosecuted for taking part in the protest and
breaking coronavirus restrictions.
The police said on Twitter
that they did not detain anyone who held state immunity, arguing the
senator had entered a police vehicle himself and refused to leave it.
Borys
Budka, the head of the Civic Coalition, said on Twitter that he
expected the interior minister and the head of Warsaw’s police service
to explain the use of force during Saturday’s protest.
The organizers of the protest were not immediately available for comment.
The
government has said that some restrictions need to remain in place for
some time still, to ensure public safety and prevent the virus spread
from accelerating.
Poland has confirmed 18,257 cases of coronavirus and 915 deaths.
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