Robert Bąkiewicz, leader of the Border Defense Movement (Ruch Obrony Granic), reported Saturday night via social media that German federal police attempted to detain Polish volunteers from the movement on Polish soil, in the village of Krzewina Zgorzelecka.
“There has just been an attempt by Bundespolizei to detain Polish volunteers of the Border Defense Movement on Polish territory in Krzewina Zgorzelecka,” Bąkiewicz stated.
For several weeks, German authorities have been transferring migrants—many from African countries—across the western border into Poland. In response, citizens associated with the Border Defense Movement and other grassroots organizations have taken it upon themselves to monitor the border and intervene in suspected cases of illegal migration.
As public pressure grew, the Polish government announced that it would temporarily reinstate border controls with Germany, starting on July 7. Nevertheless, incidents involving German authorities continue to occur.
Bąkiewicz’s report from Krzewina Zgorzelecka added to the growing tension. He described the incident as a provocation.
Around 2:00 a.m., Bąkiewicz shared an update after arriving at the scene.
“German police behaved provocatively, trying to blind us with lights. Our colleagues on the ground confirmed that the Germans attempted to detain them, shouting aggressively,” he wrote. “The entire situation appeared to be related to the scaring off of smugglers who were likely preparing to transfer migrants nearby.”
The post was accompanied by a video showing flashing vehicle lights near a pedestrian bridge at the Polish-German border.
Attorney Bartosz Lewandowski stated that if German officers acted on Polish territory, Polish prosecutors could legally initiate an investigation into the matter, as it falls under their jurisdiction.