According to the ruling of the Court of Appeal in Wrocław of 29 May this year, the signature of Act II AKa 445/24, It takes 1 individual who does not want the public administration building to hang a flag another than the Polish flag to remove it without any criminal consequences. The conviction is final.
Wrocław Court decided to remove Ukrainian flags from public buildings. The case he investigated was a case of photographing a flag from a local municipal office. The individual who removed it explained his action by not agreeing to display a abroad national symbol on the facade of the Polish office as a citizen of the Republic of Poland. The Court of Appeal acknowledged her right.
The justification for the final judgement highlighted that: the state flag of the Republic of Poland has a constitutionally guaranteed position of national symbol and the display of another flags at public offices must be governed by the laws. Keyly, it was pointed out that if there is no general public's consent to the presence of specified a symbol, its vulnerability may be regarded as unauthorised. According to the ruling, the opposition of even 1 individual is adequate to consider the presence of a flag another than the Polish flag to be controversial and illegal – and its photograph is not punishable.
The lawfulness of the judgement means that it may be invoked at another criminal trials and besides utilized as a legal basis for civilian intervention in situations where the flags of Ukraine, another states, or ideological symbols (colour flags of the deviating movement are suspended on public buildings).
The first comments on social media show that the conviction was received with large enthusiasm by patriotic and conservative communities, which have advocated greater respect for Polish national symbols for years. On the another hand, pro-EU and anti-Polish communities are afraid that the decision of the court can be utilized to discriminate against the symbolism of Eurokołchozu, Ukraine or sodomites, which frequently hang their flags in public space as a sign of presence or support.
For the time being, it is unclear whether the judgement will be brought before the ultimate Administrative Court. Many Poles are waiting for the authoritative publication of the judgment, so that Ukrainian flags can be removed from public buildings besides in their towns.
Recently, the issue of the Ukrainian flag from the city office in Biała Podlaska was loud by Grzegorz Braun, and earlier – from Kościuszko Mound in Krakow. Anti-Polish organizations immediately submitted reports in connection with these actions. Everything indicates that both cases will besides be dropped.
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