Polish far‑right deputy Grzegorz Braun blasted organisers of the Independence March on 11 November for removing a large inflatable fire extinguisher erected at the National Stadium in Warsaw.
Inflatable Fire Extinguisher Removed
The Confederation of the Crown of Poland, linked to Grzegorz Braun, set up an inflatable fire extinguisher before Warsaw’s National Stadium as a symbol after Braun had extinguished Hanukkah candles in the Senate at the end of 2023. The extinguisher was intended as a landmark for participants of the Confederation’s column, who were to gather under the stadium after the march. According to Braun and Sławomir Ozdyk, the decision to remove it was made by organisers of the Independence March held on 11 November.
Braun Criticises March Organisers
Braun condemned the event organisers, calling them “laughable” and accusing them of calling police to remove the Confederation’s symbol on the stadium lawns. He wrote on X that the fire‑extinguisher front would triumph. Ozdyk clarified that the removal order came from Jakub Kalus, vice‑president of the Independence March Association and member of the National Movement. Braun responded by likening the National Movement’s approach to a “garden‑spanking dog” philosophy that outperforms mere lecture.
Police and Security Intervention at National Stadium
Ozdyk announced that police and stadium security were called to the lawns. Jakub Kalus warned that if the symbol was not removed he would revoke accreditation for the Confederation’s column vehicle equipped with sound equipment. He noted that he had granted permission for the vehicle’s use and would not want to withdraw accreditation. The organisers, citing President Karol Nawrocki’s presence during the march, the need to maintain order and police orders, had earlier withdrawn the Confederation’s accreditation for a Scania platform vehicle.
Ozdyk on Removal: Limiting Another Group’s Organisational Symbols
Ozdyk said Braun’s colleague added that, from a political‑science perspective, the vice‑president’s actions could be seen as restricting another group’s organisational and symbolic options at a patriotic event. “Using the Independence March to serve the interests of a particular organisation demonstrates the instrumentalisation of public events to control symbol exposure and dictate participation of selected political entities,” he said.