The stepping-down mayor of Wrocław, Rafał Dutkiewicz has banned on Tuesday a march scheduled for 11th of November (Independence Day), organised by nationalist circles, including controversial former priest Jacek Międlar, who said he will appeal against the decision.
"I have taken a decision banning the National Independence March after consulting the police and in agreement with the mayor-elect Jacek Sutryk," Mr Dutkiewicz wrote on Twitter.
The organisers of the March of Independent Poland are nationalist circles, including Jacek Międlar and Piotr Rybak who has heard a court sentence for burning an effigy of a Jew on Wrocław's Market Square in 2015.
Międlar annouced on Twitter that he will appeal against the decision. "At a special session, Wrocław City Hall decided not to let the March of Independent Poland to take place. We're going to appeal. Nothing and nobody will stop us. On 11.11 let's meet up at 17 next to Railway Station," he wrote.
The substantiation issued by the mayor of Wrocław regarding the decision to ban the march, states that according to the organisers, the march is meant to "commemorate the 100th anniversary of Poland regaining independence" and that 10,000 people are expected to attend the event.
In the document, the Wrocław Municipality stressed that they have asked the City Police Commander for a description of dangers that had occured during previous assemblies by this organiser. The police were also asked for an analysis of potential dangers that may occur during the assembly scheduled for 11 November.
The authorities argued that after the analysis of "circumstances and evidence collected in this case" they arrived at the conclusion that during the assembly crime and offenses may occur, regarding disrespecting people, inciting hate motivated by nationality, ethnicity, race or religion. Furthermore, there is a risk of participation of people carrying fireworks or other dangerous materials or tools.
Decision banning an assembly can be appealed against in the District Court in Wrocław, within 24 hours from the decision's publication in the Public Information Bulletin.
Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 International, PAP