"We Must Win, We Must Defend Poland!" + Video And Photo Gallery

Despite the Tusk government's best efforts, a massive crowd assembled in downtown Warsaw on Thursday afternoon to protest against the current Polish government's measures seen as detrimental to the rule of law. The March of Free Poles featured speeches from former PM Mateusz Morawiecki and Jaroslaw Kaczynski, president of the Law and Justice (PiS) Party, among others.

Fotó: Ladóczki Balázs

According to videos circulating on social media, the government of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has deployed a significant police presence at the site of the March of Free Poles, a demonstration advocating for the release of two imprisoned MPs, Mariusz Kaminski and Maciej Wasik. Despite the cold weather, at least 200,000 people decided to participate in the demonstration held in front of the parliament building (Sejm).

Państwo uśmiechu, otwartości i troski.

Do zobaczenia na #ProtestWolnychPolakow pic.twitter.com/et7MFGKCyN

— Olga Semeniuk-Patkowska 🇵🇱 (@OlgaEwaSemeniuk) January 11, 2024

At 4 pm, marking the commencement of the demonstration, the first speaker was MP Przemysław Czarnek, Poland's former education minister. He asserted that Sejm Speaker Szymon Holownia was fearful of the people due to his lack of knowledge and respect for the Polish Constitution, which designates the people as the supreme authority.

3️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ tys. ludzi zimą! Tak nigdy nie było. Odzyskamy Polskę ‼️🇵🇱💪🏼#ProtestWolnychPolaków pic.twitter.com/ngZmu106Rb

— Przemysław Czarnek (@CzarnekP) January 11, 2024

Pod Sejmem już tysiące ludzi #ProtestWolnychPolakow pic.twitter.com/3Dtv4kaiq8

— Paweł Rybicki (@Rybitzky) January 11, 2024

He was followed on stage by MEP Zbigniew Bogucki, who pointed out that PM Tusk and his associates had campaigned on constitutionalism, but were now violating it. 

Mr Bogucki drew parallels between the actions of the liberal government formed a month ago and those of the Communists.

He was succeeded by Jaroslaw Kaczynski, president of the Law and Justice (PiS) party, who underscored that Tusk's government was undermining free media and showing complete disregard for the country's laws. They want to reorganize things how they were under their previous government but, as part of a larger plan, they want to end Poland's energy independence, and ultimately, its sovereignty," Mr Kaczynski was quoted as saying by the wPolityce news portal.

They will steer the entire EU, the whole of Europe, into a major crisis. We, here, are defending Poland because this is our duty. However, we are also protecting the peoples of Europe from this ideological disaster and from the return of German imperialism,

− the PiS chief pointed out.

We must win, we must defend Poland!

− Mr Kaczynski said, calling on every Pole.

The wives of the two politicians, Roma Wasik and Barbara Kaminska, expressed gratitude to the Polish people for their support. Mrs Wasik emphasized that the two imprisoned politicians should not be forgotten, while Mrs Kaminska pointed out that the two lawmakers were intentionally separated.

Former PM Mateusz Morawiecki also addressed the crowd.

Despite the fact that they stopped many buses on their way and falsified public information relayed to the people, there are hundreds of thousands of us here,

− he underlined.

Posing a question to all those who voted for the liberals, he asked if they really wanted a government that's bent on creating a media monopoly and putting the security of the country last? Poland's ex-PM said the Tusk government had created darkness in just over a month, in which, as the famous slogan goes, democracy will die.

We won't let the current power's actions go unspoken. We will hold them accountable for everything, just remember that,

− Mr Morawiecki promised.

✌️ Wiceprezes PiS @MorawieckiM, b. Premier: Zobaczcie ilu nas tu jest mimo mrozu, mimo tego, że powstrzymywali autobusy z uczestnikami na trasie, mimo tego, że fałszowali informacje publiczne docierające do ludzi. Są nas tutaj setki tysięcy! Dziękuję Wam za to! Dziękujemy!… pic.twitter.com/1o89zTtU0k

— Prawo i Sprawiedliwość (@pisorgpl) January 11, 2024

Pod KPRM jest już kilkaset tysięcy ludzi, a spod Sejmu wciąż maszerują tłumy pic.twitter.com/ygJBL4lVKC

— Radosław Poszwiński (@bogdan607) January 11, 2024

Marsz rusza pod KPRM @wPolityce_pl @wPolscepl pic.twitter.com/s6eg6zyOqT

— Maciej Zemła (@MaciejZem) January 11, 2024

Polish President Andrzej Duda received Roma Wasik and Barbara Kaminska on Thursday and assured them that he remains convinced of their husbands' integrity and will launch a new pardon procedure, writes the wPolityce news site. 

Cover photo: Jaroslaw Kaczynski speaks at the March of Free Poles (Photo: Balazs Ladoczki)