Warsaw. Scuffles in front of the Smolensk monument. “We have received notifications”

During the evening celebrations in front of the Smolensk monument, there was an accident on Saturday to the scuffles involving Jarosław Kaczyński. The PiS chairman tried to remove a wreath left by protesters. Earlier that day, he addressed one of the protesters with the words: “You Putinist scum”. It was Arkadiusz Szczurek, who was waiting for the PiS chairman by his limousine. The man allegedly shouted through a megaphone: – Jarek, stop these lies! Stop lying to people. There was also a scuffle.

– We received two official notifications regarding the events of August 10. They concerned violations of bodily integrity. Additionally, we are conducting activities concerning traffic violations – Jakub Pacyniak, spokesman for the city center police, told us.

As he added, the organizer also reported “disruptions to a cyclical gathering”. In this case, recordings from in front of the monument were secured.

Since April 2018, on each monthly anniversary of the Smolensk disaster, Warsaw entrepreneur Zbigniew Komosa lays a wreath in front of the monument in Piłsudski Square. He places a plaque on it, blaming Lech Kaczyński for the deaths of the victims. The wreath has so far been removed by the police or the army, although the Supreme Court ruled that the plaque's content does not insult anyone.

Zbigniew Komosa's attempt to lay a wreath has often ended in scuffles with Law and Justice politicians. The police are dealing with several such incidents. In October last year, a report was received regarding “destruction of property by Jarosław Kaczyński”, in January “destruction of property and theft of a plaque by Anita Czerwińska”, in February “destruction of property and theft of a plaque by Marek Suski”.

– We conducted proceedings in connection with the incidents at Piłsudski Square on June 10 and May 10 of this year. These were conducted under Article 288, paragraph 1 of the Penal Code (destruction – editor's note). In turn, the proceedings of April 10 were conducted under Article 278, paragraph 1 of the Penal Code (misappropriation – editor's note). The proceedings from April, May and June have been completed – Jakub Pacyniak, spokesman for the city centre police, told us in July.

With what effect? ​​According to information provided to us by Piotr Skiba, spokesman for the District Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw, the above proceedings were discontinued.

Why? – On the basis of Article 17, paragraph 1, point 2 of the Code of Criminal Procedure – the prosecutor replies. This means that according to investigators “the act did not contain the features of a prohibited act or the law states that the perpetrator does not commit a crime”.

On April 10, 2010, 96 people died in the Tu-154M plane crash near Smolensk, including President Lech Kaczyński and his wife Maria, the last President of Poland in exile Ryszard Kaczorowski, and other personalities, including the most important commanders of the Polish Army. The Polish delegation was on its way to the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre.