WARSAW, Poland (AP) – Poland’s interior minister defended the decision to post photos of some anti-government protesters to illustrate the country’s “zero tolerance for breaches of the law,” but opposition lawmakers Thursday called it an act of “political revenge” intended to intimidate government critics.
Interior Minister Mariusz Blaszczak was referring to the publication on the Warsaw police department’s website of images of 21 people who took part in a Dec. 16 protest outside Poland’s parliament. Police want to identify and question some of the protest participants as part of an ongoing investigation.
Some of the protesters lay down in the street and blocked the passage of Prime Minister Beata Szydlo’s car, but police made no arrests at the time. Blaszczak said the blockade was illegal and the suspects should be “brought to account.” If found guilty of violating the law, they could face fines or brief arrest.
The interior minister said another 80 people in Warsaw and 22 in Krakow have been identified as violating the law during December protests.
Opposition lawmakers said the photos are meant to discourage citizens from attending protests. Grzegorz Schetyna, leader of the main opposition party, Civic Platform, said he was waiting for the prime minister to say who in her government was responsible for “stigmatizing” people.