Poland Protests: Police Detain 3 Demonstrators as President Nawrocki Backs Suspended Court Chief
WARSAW, Poland – October 31, 2026: Police detained three protesters following an overnight demonstration outside Poland's Constitutional Tribunal after the suspension of its president, Bogdan Święczkowski, triggered a fresh political and judicial crisis.
Hundreds of anti-government demonstrators gathered outside the court in Warsaw to oppose the decision, which they blame on Prime Minister Donald Tusk's pro-European government.
The situation intensified when Polish President Karol Nawrocki unexpectedly cut short his trip to Senegal and returned to Poland, expressing support for the suspended court chief.
Three Protesters Detained During Overnight Demonstrations
According to police, three people were detained after some demonstrators allegedly threw objects at officers and attempted to break through the security fence surrounding the Constitutional Tribunal.
Police deployed additional officers to maintain security around the building as tensions increased throughout Friday night.
The demonstrations attracted opposition supporters, including members and supporters of the national-conservative Law and Justice party, commonly known as PiS.
The suspension of the tribunal's leadership has become another major flashpoint in Poland's ongoing political divisions.
President Karol Nawrocki Returns From Senegal
Polish President Karol Nawrocki changed his travel plans after learning about the developments at the Constitutional Tribunal.
He turned his plane around while travelling to Senegal and returned to Warsaw, saying that the situation required his presence in Poland.
After arriving, Nawrocki visited the Constitutional Tribunal and said he had helped suspended court president Bogdan Święczkowski enter the building.
On Saturday morning, the president described the developments as a breach of Poland's constitutional order.
He also invited parliamentary representatives to emergency discussions aimed at stabilizing the political situation and finding a possible resolution.
Why Was the Constitutional Tribunal President Suspended?
The controversy began on Friday evening when Poland's Constitutional Tribunal announced that its president, Bogdan Święczkowski, and vice president, Bartłomiej Sochański, had been suspended.
Judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska announced that she was taking over the tribunal's leadership, citing her position as the court's longest-serving judge.
The move has generated competing interpretations of the court's authority and the legitimacy of its leadership.
The government argues that Święczkowski repeatedly violated legal requirements and obstructed the tribunal's work by preventing judges elected by the current parliamentary majority from taking office.
However, opposition politicians and supporters of the suspended leadership strongly reject the move.
Some have described the decision as an unconstitutional attempt to seize control of an important judicial institution.
Political Tensions Between Donald Tusk and the Opposition
The latest confrontation reflects a much longer dispute over judicial independence in Poland.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government came to power in 2023 promising to restore judicial independence and reverse controversial reforms introduced under the previous Law and Justice government.
PiS governed Poland between 2015 and 2023. During that period, its judicial reforms attracted criticism from the European Union over concerns about political influence on the country's courts.
Since taking office, Tusk's government has faced significant obstacles in implementing its judicial reform agenda, including opposition from presidents aligned with PiS.
President Nawrocki has also opposed several government-backed judicial changes.
The latest suspension has therefore intensified an already complicated political and constitutional dispute.
What Happens Next?
The immediate priority for Polish authorities is preventing further confrontations around the Constitutional Tribunal.
President Nawrocki's invitation to parliamentary representatives for emergency talks could provide an opportunity for political discussions.
However, the disagreement over judicial appointments, the suspension of court leadership, and the constitutional authority of different institutions remains unresolved.
The situation could also have wider implications for Poland's political landscape ahead of the next parliamentary election scheduled for 2027.
For now, the country faces another period of uncertainty as government officials, opposition leaders, judges, and the president offer sharply different interpretations of the unfolding crisis.
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