Warsaw. Residents are fed up with protests before an abortion clinic. Officials cannot help them

A loud problem at Wiejska. Inhabitants of the communities adjacent to the abortion clinic “Abotak” are fed up with protests organized in front of the building by pro-life environments. They count on the reaction from the police and officials. However, they spread their hands. – A legal congregation cannot be resolved without basics, and noise is not such a basis – argues the town hall.

A resident of the block at 9 Wiejska Street told the editorial office of contact24 about the difficulties related to the daily disturbance of silence by people participating in protests before the abortion clinic “Abotak” open on March 8. – Since the opening of the clinic, the inhabitants of the block have been dealing with constant disturbance of peace and quiet by protesting people associated with the pro-life environment. They come three or four times a week. Although it happens that they are every day. They start from 4pm and finish three hours later. They shout at megaphones, have noise creation machines. My apartment is on the other side, the windows do not go out to Wiejska, and yet the indicators show 100 decibels on the balcony. At home with windows closed 70. Neighbors whose windows go out into the street much louder – said the woman. She added that the protesters come to manifestations with drastic posters. – They stick our gate with banners with bloody pictures. There are also those that refer to German concentration camps. For an adult, these are drastic images, and in the block they live children who should not see such things – she said. Ewa emphasized that there are also dangerous situations under her block. – yesterday they poured buty acid onto the pavement in front of the clinic. The fire brigade worked at the event. Moreover, they physically attack residents who speak on this matter. In this way, they want to force the inhabitants of steps towards the clinic. They want to close the clinic with our hands – says the woman.

Councilors intervene on loud manifestations

Before Thursday's session of the Warsaw Council, a conference of left -wing councilors was held and the city is ours and residents of the village community 9, 11, 12, 12a and Frascati 1. The representation of residents had cards with the slogans: “Defenders of life”, “you don't let us live” and “stop terrorized us with noise.” She also brought a petition to the council session, which the inhabitants had previously submitted to the City Hall.

Anna Bielecka, a resident from Wiejska Street 9, said that the residents from the opening of the “Abotak” clinic are exposed to very frequent gatherings of pro-life environments, which in a very aggressive and loud way demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the fact that a clinic providing helping women was created in such a place.

She noted that such demonstrations last several hours, vuwuzele, speakers exceeding over 100 decibels are used. – In addition, there are very aggressive images – photos, posters of children, bloody fetuses that cause great fear among children living in our estate – she noted.

She said that the residents raised their reservations to the City Hall and the police. “Unfortunately, we are celebrated with a receipt, everyone washes their hands,” she added.

They want quiet gatherings and peace

Residents decided to submit a petition to the City Hall and the President of Warsaw to change the form of consent to this type of assembly. They do not want to prohibit assemblies that result from constitutional rights. They want the assemblies to take place in a non -clicking way with the rights of residents – they want them to be quiet gatherings.

– We also want the police to react to aggressive images and photos that are forbidden to display on television, when children could watch them – said Bielecka.

Elżbieta Zimny, a resident from Wiejska Street 9, emphasized that Wiejska Street is the only route that is moved by children going to the Primary School at Górnośląska 45. – In addition, the location of our building is in strict buildings, which means that the noise is larger – she added. – We ask for the city's support, because we are also this city – she appealed.

They demand that the town hall take action

Left councilor Agata Diduszko-Zyglewska pointed out that it could not be that the inhabitants of this city are terrorized by a fanatical group of people. She emphasized that the town hall should defend residents. She appealed to the Warsaw authorities to cease to be idle in this matter.

– We do not agree that the right to express our own opinion means in Poland the right to hurt other people, disrupting their sense of security in the comfort of their own home – said the city councilor is our Marta Szczepańska. She said that the laws of the assemblies have registration that says that a representative of the commune may resolve the assembly, if security is at risk, and can also introduce rules to maintain the comfort of residents.

– The city explains that it can do it at the request of the police. The police explain that he can do it, but at the city's request. We live in a loop – added the councilor.

The city councilor is our Martyna Jałoszyńska emphasized that the nightmare of the inhabitants of Wiejska Street lasts up to two months and at that time the city shows that it cannot cope with situations where noise level is exceeded.

The case was also commented on by the head of the PiS councilors club Dariusz Figura. – You have to deal with the causes, not the effects. The reason is the establishment in the representative place of the institution, which, in fact, is an illegal activity. Protests are the result of this. I understand the inhabitants, but you need to solve the cause of this problem – he said when asked about the comment.

“Congregations are legal”

The younger aspirant Jakub Pacyniak from the downtown police confirmed that such applications were received from the residents. – Activities are carried out in matters of noise disturbance. The assemblies are legal – he added.

– This is a terrible situation, but the office must act under the law and cannot solve a legal congregation without grounds, and noise is not such a basis for the provisions – commented the spokesman of the capital city hall Monika Beuth.

She also noted that the police and every inhabitant of noise or aggressive behavior are responsible for safety and order. – Representatives of the Warsaw Security Bureau from March 17 to April 12 conducted a number of inspections of the course of assemblies both at Wiejska and through the municipal video system. In many cases, the presence of the organizer or participants of the assembly was not found – the spokeswoman pointed out.

She added that during the actual duration of the assembly there were no violations of law, and the police did not ask the city to dissolve the congregation.

Abortion clinic “Abotak”

Activists from the abortion Dream Team (ADT) opened the “Abotak” point at ul. Wiejska 9 – in the immediate vicinity of the Sejm – March 8. They call him a “abortion clinic”, in which you can conduct a pharmacological abortion of your own pregnancy to its 12th week, using tablets – previously ordered by post, among others from Women Help Women, an international initiative helping women in access to abortion.

Since the opening of “Abotak”, opponents of interrupting pregnancy organize protests in front of the headquarters of the “clinic” and demand it to be closed. During the first demonstration, red paint was spilled before the entrance.