“The organizer doesn’t want you to participate in his assembly” — this was the strange justification given by police officers removing a journalist from Telewizja Republika as he was documenting a demonstration in front of the Supreme Court. In doing so, the officers violated press law.
Journalist Jarosław Olechowski, Head of news editors at TV Republika, was asked to leave by the police while reporting on a pro-government demonstration.
While filming the protest and documenting slogans shouted by demonstrators, the editor was subjected to insults and offensive remarks from participants. Among the chants heard were slogans such as “Free Moscow.” He was also obstructed in performing his job. At one point, a police officer from the anti-conflict unit approached him and asked if he was a provocateur. Once the journalist identified himself and stated his role, there was no issue.
However, shortly afterward, another officer intervened — one whose uniform bore a number instead of a name (and who refused to identify himself when asked). He told the journalist that the organizer did not want him present. What followed was a bizarre exchange.
“The assembly leader doesn’t want you to participate in his assembly,” the officer said.
Olechowski explained that he was not a participant, but a journalist covering the event.
“A journalist also doesn’t have to participate if the organizer doesn’t want him here, because it’s his assembly,” the officer insisted.
“Being a journalist doesn’t exempt you from following the law,” he added — though he failed to cite any regulation that would prohibit a journalist from reporting on a public assembly.
“Just because”
“If the organizer wants this person here, then it’s okay, but if not, then it’s not” — the officer said at one point.
The police referred to Article 19 of the Law on Assemblies, specifically paragraph 5, which states:
“The leader of the assembly may demand that a person who violates the provisions of the law, or who disrupts or attempts to obstruct the assembly, leave the gathering. If the person does not comply, the leader may request assistance from the police or municipal guard.”
Later, the same officer referenced the Code of Offenses and said the matter would be resolved in court.
When Olechowski said he wanted to ask Mateusz Kijowski a question, the officer responded that he would first ask Kijowski whether he wanted to speak to the journalist.
“I don’t need police mediation to do my job as a journalist,” Olechowski replied.
All of these actions were in violation of press law.