On 16 December, Gdańsk city councilor Sylwia C. was charged with insult and bodily harm after a taxi incident in Gdańsk.
Charges filed against councilor
On Tuesday 16 December, the Koalicja Obywatelskiej councilor Sylwia C. heard charges of insult and violation of bodily integrity. She denied the alleged acts and refused to provide explanations. The complaint was filed by a taxi driver whom she had used in September.
September taxi conflict
On 12 September, Sylwia C. rode in a taxi with children to a Lechia Gdańsk match. The driver wanted to drop her off at a different location. A video of the taxi recorder shows the councilor angrily addressing a foreign‑speaking driver, saying, “A lady is coming to this place where I am standing, I am waiting for you, damn, ten minutes. I am late.” The driver replied that she must correctly enter the address, to which Sylwia retorted, “I entered the address correctly, not the first time…” and added that if one does not orient, one should return to one’s own country.
Councilor denies abuse claims
Initially, Sylwia C. claimed she spent the night in a shelter after a taxi driver allegedly used pepper spray against her. After the video appeared, she apologized for the profanity and strong language she used under strong emotions. She said the recording only shows a fragment of the incident, and that the driver did not verbally insult her, spit on her, or use pepper spray.
Councilor apologises and explains
In an October city council meeting, the councilor, still suspended from the KO club but holding her mandate, apologized again for her conduct on 12 September. She stated she wants to confront the incident openly, saying that if she gave a bad example, it is now her duty to show a good one. She also clarified that her behavior toward the driver had no xenophobic basis.
Council session: open discussion
The council meeting followed the same timeline where the councilor reiterated that she had not resigned her mandate, but was suspended from the party caucus. She urged that her actions not be swept under the rug and emphasized the need to address the matter directly.
