Polish police deploy to constitutional court after head judge suspended
Polish police entered the Constitutional Tribunal grounds after protests over the suspension of head judge Bogdan Swieczkowski, Al Jazeera reports.
The story in focus
Al Jazeera reports Polish police were deployed at the Constitutional Tribunal in Warsaw after the court suspended head judge Bogdan Swieczkowski. Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek said he sought immunity waivers for Swieczkowski and his deputy; police detained three people after objects were thrown. Prime Minister Donald Tusk defended the action, while PiS politicians criticized it.
- The Constitutional Tribunal announced on Friday that head judge Bogdan Swieczkowski had been suspended.
- Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek said he requested immunity waivers for Swieczkowski and his deputy, citing obstruction of judges.
- Police said they entered the court premises after objects were thrown and detained three people.
- Prime Minister Donald Tusk said restoring the rule of law requires decisive action; PiS figures called the suspension an attack on constitutional order.
- President Karol Nawrocki, allied with PiS, returned from a trip abroad, saying he needed to be in Poland.
Suspension and police deployment
Al Jazeera reported that Polish police were deployed at the Constitutional Tribunal in Warsaw on Friday after the court announced the suspension of its head judge, Bogdan Swieczkowski. Demonstrators gathered outside the building following the announcement.
Police said they entered the court premises after incidents outside, including objects thrown at officers. Three people were detained after what police described as dangerous projectiles were launched, according to the report.
Government and opposition responses
Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek told reporters he had requested that the immunity of Swieczkowski and his deputy be lifted, saying they prevented judges from performing their work. Swieczkowski, appointed under the previous Law and Justice (PiS) government, had for six months used his position to block judges elected by the current parliamentary majority from taking up duties, Al Jazeera reported.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk defended the suspension, saying restoring the rule of law after years under PiS requires difficult and decisive action. PiS politicians criticized the move; former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro called it an attack on the constitutional order. PiS-allied President Karol Nawrocki returned from a trip to Senegal, saying the president must be in Poland at such a moment.
Who did Poland's justice minister seek immunity waivers for?
Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek said he requested that the immunity of suspended tribunal head Bogdan Swieczkowski and his deputy be lifted, citing their prevention of judges from performing their work.
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