President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki took part in a commemoration ceremony today to mark the 40th anniversary of the bloody events in the city of Bydgoszcz. During the so-called Bydgoszcz Provocation, communist riot police severely beat a number of representatives of the “Solidarity” Independent Self-Governing Trade Union of Individual Farmers, who had arrived to meet representatives of the authorities to demand that the regime legalize their independent trade union. The event is considered a crucial moment in the lead-up to the military communist junta imposing martial law in Poland in December 1981.
“Historians will keep discussing this event for years to come but one thing is certain, none of the people who faced off with the authorities, spent a lot of time thinking about it. They simply acted on what they were sure was right. And they wanted to achieve what they thought was necessary. Nothing could stop them, and for that I thank them from the bottom of my heart. And that is why we are giving them medals today.” stated president Duda at the event.
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“These medals, which the government has decided to award you, for the great gift that was placed in our hands… the hands of our generation. The generation which came to experience freedom at last. We thank you.” said PM Morawiecki in his speech.