May Day celebrations in Warsaw marred by demonstrations and arrests

Scuffles and a sit-in marred the traditional May Day celebrations in Warsaw this year. The trouble started after a group of anarchists marched along Ujazdowskie Avenue, where the office of the prime minister is located. The demonstrators called for the Economy Ministry to be dissolved and for Central Bank of Poland (NBP) president, Leszek Balcerowicz, to resign. The arrest of one of the anarchists caused a crowd to gather in front of the Ministry of Justice, where they staged a sit-in, blocking the road. They abandoned the protest after the police promised to release the person detained. But shortly after that, street fights broke out. One person was injured, and two others were arrested. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 5) A.D.