In a press conference held on July 15, 2023, at the National Prosecutor’s Office, Attorney General Zbigniew Ziobro revealed his decision to order a suspension of the imprisonment sentence of Marika M. The young woman had been sentenced to 3 years in prison for attempting to snatch a rainbow-colored bag worth 15 Polish złoty in a controversial incident that took place during an LGBT demonstration in Poznań on August 10, 2020.
The Ideological Context of the Incident
During the incident, Marika and several others tried to seize the rainbow bag from a woman, intending it as a protest against the promotion of LGBT ideology. The victim’s testimony suggested that the attackers’ motive was not to steal the bag’s contents but to target the rainbow-colored item itself, imbuing the incident with an ideological dimension.
Contrasting Testimonies
While the victim claimed the assault was ideologically motivated, a friend who witnessed the event testified differently. According to the friend, Marika and her companions were solely interested in the rainbow bag and not its contents. After a brief scuffle, they abandoned their attempt to take the bag, leaving it with its owner.
The Harsh Sentence and Calls for Pardon
The Poznań District Court found Marika guilty of attempted hooligan-style robbery and sentenced her to 3 years in prison on August 26, 2021. However, Attorney General Zbigniew Ziobro passionately argued that Marika’s punishment was disproportionate and harsh, considering similar cases involving violent crimes receiving shorter sentences. He claimed that Marika’s conviction and imprisonment were a miscarriage of justice and stressed his intention to appeal to President Andrzej Duda for a pardon on her behalf.
Disparity in Sentencing
Attorney General Ziobro highlighted the stark contrast in sentencing, citing cases involving activists from LGBT and other left-wing groups who have committed aggressive acts, assaults, and beatings, often receiving lenient or symbolic sentences. He expressed concern over the inequality in the justice system and called for a fair and consistent approach to sentencing in such cases.
Awaiting a Decision
As the nation awaits President Duda’s response to the Attorney General’s plea for pardon, the case of Marika M. has ignited a debate over the appropriate punishment for her attempted bag snatch and its underlying ideological implications. Many are now questioning whether her three-year imprisonment truly reflects the severity of her crime and whether the legal system should ensure equitable treatment for all individuals, regardless of their ideological affiliations.