A group of climate activists from the Last Generation blocked a part of Wisłostrada on Wednesday. The police intervened on site. Activists announce that they will protest until the end. They also want a meeting with Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
As TVN24 reporter Michalina Czepita reported, the road was blocked at the height of the pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the Vistula River. Activists sat on it for several minutes. Nervous drivers approached the protesters. Police officers intervened and took the protesters off the road.
– Around 6 p.m. on Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie Street, a group of people blocked the road towards Mokotów. The police reacted immediately and moved the protesters off the road. The traffic is now smooth. Police activities are ongoing on site – aspirant Jacek Sobociński from the Warsaw Police Headquarters told us around 7 p.m.
Source: TVN24
Activists want a meeting with Prime Minister Tusk
Since last Monday, November 25, activists from the Last Generation have been carrying out short-term blockades of Wisłostrada. The members of the organization explain that they are protesting against the passivity of the Polish government regarding the climate crisis. They warn that this heavily trafficked capital artery will be a permanent site of civic resistance. Blockades are organized there during the morning rush hour, but sometimes also in the afternoon.
Activists demand the quick fulfillment of two main demands: transferring all funds from the construction of expressways and highways to public transport and introducing a ticket for PLN 50 a month for regional transport throughout the country.
During Wednesday's protest, activists announced that they would protest until the end. They want to meet Prime Minister Donald Tusk on December 11 at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister.
Source: TVN24
Activists: This is a step towards authoritarianism
Two days ago Prime Minister Tusk referred to the issue of blockades in a post on the X platform. “Blocking roads, regardless of political intentions, poses a threat to the state and all road users. Today I called on the relevant services to react decisively and counteract such actions,” wrote the Prime Minister.
In the evening of the same day, the Last Generation responded to the Prime Minister in the same way. “Today you threatened on Twitter that you will discipline the services to make them suppress the protests more forcefully. So far, you have not responded to any letters with demands that we addressed to you, but directed them to the Ministry of Infrastructure,” the organization wrote on the X platform and reminded that Donald Tusk himself started with Solidarity protests. “Today you stand where ZOMO stood, trying to silence people who are fighting for a safe future for themselves and their children,” pointed out the Last Generation. And it accused them of “declaring war on activists and climate activists” and taking a “step towards authoritarianism”. It compared Donald Tusk's entry to “calls by Kaczyński who wanted to bring tanks to protesting women.”
Author: dg
Source: tvnwarszawa.pl
Main photo source: TVN24