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Poles protest the forced retirements of judges under new law

Crowds protesting the forced retirement of the Supreme Court head, Malgorzata Gersdorf, and of some of its judges as part of a judicial overhaul implemented by Poland's right-wing ruling party, that has put it at odds with the European Union, before the Supreme Court building in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, July 3, 2018.(AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski) Crowds protesting the forced retirement of the Supreme Court head, Malgorzata Gersdorf, and of some of its judges as part of a judicial overhaul implemented by Poland's right-wing ruling party, that has put it at odds with the European Union, before the Supreme Court building in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, July 3, 2018.(AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

By Associated Press July 4, 2018 1 min read

WARSAW, Poland (AP) – Anti-government protesters are rallying in front of Poland’s Supreme Court in Warsaw to show support for the rule of law and for the court’s president, who is being forced to retire under a new judicial overhaul.

The crowd chanted “Judges are not removable!” and “Constitution!” on Wednesday as the court’s First President Malgorzata Gersdorf showed up for work, saying that according to the constitution, her six-year term runs through 2020.

Gersdorf thanked the crowd and said she was acting to protect Poland’s rule of law.

Protests started this week after the right-wing ruling party mandated a new lower retirement age for Poland’s Supreme Court justices. The law, which took effect Tuesday, is forcing the chief justice and as many as one-third of the court’s 72 sitting judges to step down.