Polish police detain 25 after attacks on equality march
Source: Reuters
WORLD NEWS JULY 21, 2019 / 10:01 AM / UPDATED 3 HOURS AGO
Polish police detain 25 after attacks on equality march
WARSAW (Reuters) - Police have detained 25 people in Bialystok, eastern Poland, after attacks on those taking part in the citys first equality march amid accusations that the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party benefits from fuelling anti-gay sentiment.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights have become an issue in Poland ahead of a general election expected in October, with the conservative party depicting campaigners as a threat to traditional Polish values.
Officers ensure security regardless of the ideas, values and beliefs proclaimed by citizens. Any person who breaks the law (...) should know they can be held responsible, interior minister Elzbieta Witek said on Twitter on Sunday.
Videos posted on Twitter show men attacking participants in the march, including a woman, and shouting anti-LGBT insults. Some of the attackers were wearing football club t-shirts.
Last year during an equality march in Lublin, another eastern Polish city, activists were hounded by groups of men, who were dispersed by riot police firing tear gas.
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