The actions of civic patrols have been criticized by the Ombudsman, who indicates the unlawful limitation of citizens' freedom by these groups. Meanwhile, the head of the Ministry of Interior and Administration Tomasz Siemoniak emphasizes that every case of impersonating officers was reported to the prosecutor's office, which initiated appropriate proceedings. The police, which responds to violations of law regardless of their perpetrators, reminds of the consequences arising from art. 227 of the Penal Code. Crimes such as impersonation under a public official are threatened by both a fine and imprisonment for up to a year.
Read also: Controls at the borders with Germany and Lithuania. The Border Guard talks about the details
Criminal liability for misleading
Inspector Katarzyna Nowak, spokeswoman for the Police Commander -in -Chief, in an interview with the Polish Press Agency emphasized that citizens are not entitled to act, such as personal control or ID card. She pointed out that in the event of disturbing situations, the case of the police or border guards should be reported. If someone, allegedly performing checking activities, misleads other people, he is threatened with criminal liability. – We are we – the police and the border guard – noted insp. Nowak.
One of the situations that drew the attention of the media was a notification regarding a group of people acting in the form of a civic patrol in Police. Although intervening policemen did not confirm the relationship about ID, inspector Nowak explained that reports of this type remain a priority as they may indicate a violation of law.
Government: We restore temporary checks
The controversy related to patrols coincided with the government's proposal regarding the restoration of temporary border control. The draft regulation, published on the website of the Government Legislation Center, takes into account the threats associated with illegal immigration on the Polish-German and Polish-Lithuanian border. The document referred to the provisions of the Schengen Border Code, which provide for the possibility of temporarily introducing control in a situation of serious threat to public order.
The President of Law and Justice Jarosław Kaczyński criticized the state's actions, emphasizing in his post on Platform X that the officers remain without the right tools and chaos is growing. In the context of this, civic patrols on the border, such as those organized by the Borders' Defense Movement, gain the support of some MPs, including Janusz Kowalski and Dariusz Matecki, who openly support the activities of this organization.
On Thursday, the Ombudsman Marcin Wiącek announced that he would ask the Ministry of Interior and Administration asking about explanations about controversial actions on the western border. He emphasized that, according to PRO information, these patrols have unlawful and search citizens. Meanwhile, representatives of the Border Guard, including Lieutenant Paweł Biskupik, remind you that the issues of border protection are only within the competence of relevant services. “We respond to every civic report according to the procedure,” he assured.
The incidents related to civic patrols also forced the prosecutor's office to act. The District Prosecutor's Office in Gorzów Wlkp. Informed about the acquisition of proceedings that focus on cases of impersonating an officer and calling on the Internet to disclose the data of border guards. In response to these events, intensive monitoring of civic groups on the border is underway.
