The mayor of Vilnius does not want Grzegorz Braun. “Spreading poison” under the microscope of the authorities
Mayor of Vilnius Valdas Benkunskas officially announced on Friday that the city does not consent to organizing the meeting planned for May 1. The mayor's post on social media leaves no doubts about the attitude of the Lithuanian authorities towards Polish far-right politicians.
“If you don't like our Europe and our value system, why are you so keen to use it, travel freely to another country and have a platform here to spread your poison?” – Benkunskas asked rhetorically, turning to Braun. The mayor added ironically: “What did you lose in Vilnius?”.
The services warn about the risk
Although the Lithuanian Department of State Security (VSD) did not identify a direct physical threat, the analysis of the activities of the Confederation of the Crown of Poland was disturbing. According to the services, this visit may constitute risk to public order and violate Lithuania's national security interests.
Previously, the organizers tried to book the Vilnius Center for Culture and Spirituality, however the booking was immediately canceled as soon as it became known who was behind the event.
The opposition of the Lithuanian authorities is not only the ideology of the group, but also the long list of legal problems of Grzegorz Braun himself. There is a trial pending against him in Poland, among others. regarding:
- extinguishing the Hanukkah candles in the Sejm in 2023,
- destruction of the flags of Ukraine and the European Union,
- public denial of the Holocaust.
Additionally, the European Parliament voted several times to revoke Braun's immunity, and the prosecutor's office applied for permission to detain him in connection with the case of depriving a doctor of liberty at a hospital in Oleśnica.
