Kaczynski breached freedom of assembly when mayor

Human rights groups described the decision as a landmark ruling, as Lech Kaczynski was the first mayor of Warsaw to refuse to vet the Equality Parade, which had been taking place in the city since 2000. Kaczynski said that "homosexuality should not be publicly displayed" and that since "gays are not discriminated against in Poland", they "have no reason to demonstrate". The Court found that Kaczynski's public comments could have an impact on the opinions of the municipal bodies that have to be consulted on such matters. The ruling also called on Poland to improve the appeals procedures available in case of similar bans on assembly. "The ruling has huge implications for the freedom of assembly, not just in Poland, but also in Europe, including Riga and Moscow where similar bans are used by municipal authorities," said Marek A. Nowicki of the Helsinki Committee, the human rights organization. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 1; Rzeczpospolita, p. A1)