Riot police deployed at Poland's Constitutional Tribunal after judges suspend its chief justice

In brief

• Riot police were deployed at Poland's Constitutional Tribunal in Warsaw on Friday evening after government-backed judges moved to suspend its president, Bogdan Święczkowski.
• Police stopped Święczkowski and his supporters from entering the grounds after the fence was cut.
• Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek has requested lifting immunity for the court's president and vice-president.
• President Karol Nawrocki turned back from a state visit to Senegal and went to the court building.

Standoff outside the court

Riot police held back protesters outside the Constitutional Tribunal on Friday night after supporters of the right-wing opposition tried to break through barriers and reach the grounds (Polen - Tumulte um Verfassungsgericht - Präsident Nawrocki vor Ort – Deutschlandfunk). Police also barred Bogdan Święczkowski from getting onto the grounds once his backers had breached the fence with a motorised cutter (Chaos at Poland’s constitutional court as government-backed judges seek to oust chief justice – Notes from Poland).

Suspension and immunity

One of the government-backed judges said she had suspended the chief justice from his duties. Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek has requested lifting immunity for the two judges, which would open the way to criminal charges against them (Police deployed during stand-off over control of Poland's top court – BBC News).

Political reaction

Święczkowski and the opposition describe the move as an illegal coup. Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who has promised to depoliticise the judiciary, defended the move while PiS supporters gathered outside the building.

Presidential return

Nawrocki was on his way to Senegal for an official visit when he instructed the aircraft to reverse course and fly back to Warsaw. He later went to the court building in the evening.

Long-running dispute

The clash is the latest escalation in a dispute over the court's legal status that has lasted about a decade (Riot police deployed to Poland’s constitutional court after judge suspended – The Guardian). The conflict sets Tusk's government against the PiS politicians who held power before it.

Read also

• Nawrocki enters Constitutional Tribunal overnight as dispute over court leadership escalates
• Polish PiS calls suspension of Constitutional Tribunal chief a 'state coup' as police block court building