In brief

• Judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska suspended the duties of tribunal president Bogdan Święczkowski and vice-president Bartłomiej Sochański.
• Police were stationed at the tribunal building and protesters gathered outside.
• President Nawrocki returned early from Senegal and was due to meet Święczkowski and Kapiński.
• PiS politicians Kaczyński and Czarnek criticised the government's actions.

Suspension order

Judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska, the tribunal's longest-serving judge, issued an order suspending the duties of Bogdan Święczkowski, the court's president, and of vice-president Bartłomiej Sochański (Czarnek grzmi w sprawie TK. "Dzisiaj mamy zamach na Trybunał" – Wirtualna Polska).

Police were stationed outside the tribunal on Friday while protesters gathered in front of it (Przepychanki w TK. Nagranie z prezydentem Nawrockim – Wirtualna Polska). The Police Headquarters denied that an internal instruction dated 29 October, sent to regional police commanders, was linked to the events at the court (Burza o pismo do policjantów. KGP reaguje na spekulacje – Wirtualna Polska).

Presidential response

President Karol Nawrocki cut short a trip to Senegal and returned to Warsaw on Friday („Tylko prezydent, sam”. Korwin-Piotrowska zaprasza Nawrockiego do TK – RMF24). He was due to meet Święczkowski and Supreme Court First President Zbigniew Kapiński at the Presidential Palace.

Korwin-Piotrowska invited the president to the tribunal building, on condition that he come alone. She said Święczkowski and Kapiński would not accompany him.

Judge Maciej Berek published footage of a scuffle involving the president in front of the tribunal.

Political reactions

PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński spoke to supporters outside the tribunal on Friday evening. He accused the government of trying to take control of the court and said the situation was also a test for the president (Jarosław Kaczyński o chaosie wokół TK. "To jest też próba dla prezydenta" – Onet) (Prezes PiS o sytuacji w Trybunale Konstytucyjnym: Musimy przegonić to zło z naszego kraju – RMF24).

Przemysław Czarnek, also of PiS, called the events a coup against the tribunal. He said mass protests were possible and that people he believed had broken the law should face criminal liability.