"He's a fascist": Polish foreign minister reacts to far-right politician Braun damaging UPA memorial
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has condemned Grzegorz Braun, leader of the far-right Confederation of the Polish Crown party, for recently damaging a memorial to Ukrainian Insurgent Army The UPA, or Ukrainian Insurgent Army, was a nationalist paramilitary organisation that fought for Ukrainian independence during and after World War II, primarily against Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union (UPA) fighters in the village of Białystok in Lublin Voivodeship, and said the politician belongs in prison.
Source: Sikorski in an interview with European Pravda
Quote from Sikorski: "I'd like your listeners and viewers to know that Grzegorz Braun is the outer right-wing fringe of Polish politics. He's a fascist, an antisemite, and a criminal.
He has already been charged with several offences of using violence to destroy a menorah in the display in the Polish parliament, and he has also been charged for denying the Holocaust.
He is so toxic that nobody wants to even speculate about doing a coalition with him."
Details: The minister also said he hopes a Polish court will issue a ruling as soon as possible that would remove Braun from public life.
"He risks going to jail, which is where he belongs," Sikorski added.
Background:
- On 10 September, Braun posted a video showing him damaging a UPA memorial in the village of Białystok in Hrubieszów County, Lublin Voivodeship.
- The granite obelisk, erected at the site of a mass grave of Ukrainians, commemorates Ukrainian insurgents killed in fighting against the Soviet NKVD secret police. The grave had previously been vandalised several times.
- On 15 September, the European Parliament agreed to waive Braun's immunity so that he could face proceedings in Poland over Holocaust denial. This was not the first time his immunity had been lifted.
- In March, the European Parliament stripped Braun of his immunity over the destruction of Ukrainian and EU flags and Holocaust denial.
- Before that, the European Parliament had twice voted to waive Braun's immunity over incidents involving Hanukkah candles in the Sejm and an alleged assault on a doctor.
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