Polish farmers stage violent protests in Warsaw, threaten to bring country to standstill

Tens and thousands of Polish farmers and supporters staged violent protests outside Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s office in Warsaw and clashed with the police, threatening to bring the country to a standstill if their demands were not met.

The protesters are protesting against the European Union’s proposed climate deal and cheap Ukrainian food imports they say harm their livelihoods.

The protesters burned tyres and threw firecrackers in the Polish capital as they demanded a halt to cheap imports and environmental regulations. Some protesters hurled rocks, cobblestones and firecrackers at the security forces as they marched towards the parliament, with police using batons, pepper sprays, tear gas and stun grenades against demonstrators.

“Due to physical aggression against police officers by some of the people protesting … it was necessary to use direct coercive measures,” Warsaw police wrote in a post on X. Polish interior minister Marcin Kierwinski said at least 23 protesters were detained after the violent confrontations. Local media footage showed several protesters forcing their way onto parliamentary grounds, before being subdued by police.