Polish authorities announced on Wednesday that they are investigating a banner displayed during a farmers' protest, which called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to
intervene in Ukraine, stirring controversy in Kyiv.
The protest, led by farmers in Poland, aimed to address grievances regarding what they perceive as unfair competition from cheaper imports from Ukraine, further straining relations between Warsaw and Kyiv.
During the recent demonstrations in Gorzyczki, southern Poland, protesters unfurled a banner attached to a tractor, reading, "Putin, get Ukraine, Brussels, and our government in order," alongside a Soviet flag.
The image of the banner circulated widely on social media, eliciting outrage from Ukrainian users.
A spokesperson for the local police confirmed that the banner and flag were confiscated, and the individual driving the vehicle was identified. Criminal investigations are underway, focusing on potential charges of promoting a fascist or totalitarian regime and inciting hatred, which carry a maximum penalty of three years in prison.
Polish farmers have recently staged protests, blocking roads to the border and dumping Ukrainian grain from trucks and freight cars, exacerbating tensions between Poland and Ukraine.
Tomasz Siemoniak, Poland's minister responsible for secret services, condemned the banner as a "provocation" and described the words displayed as "shameful" and not reflective of the state's position or the sentiments of its citizens.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine, resulting from Russia's invasion, has severely disrupted the country's agriculture sector, with key export hubs blockaded and significant portions of farmland rendered unusable. Photo by Andrzej Barabasz (Chepry), Wikimedia commons.