Protesters snub Voivod in Katowice workers' protest

Over 10,000 miners, steelworkers and nurses demonstrated on the streets in Katowice yesterday in a protest against plans to close coal mines and further lay-offs in other companies in the region. "We are here to voice the two simplest demands: we only want work and bread," said Janusz Sniadek, the head of Solidarity. A policeman and a journalist were hurt by objects thrown by the crowd. The protesters also burnt an effigy of Health Minister Mariusz Lapinski. One person from the crowd shouted that this is the beginning of a war against the government and colonialism. The protesters marched past the Voivod's office, which was reinforced with crowd control barriers. The Voivod, as he usually does, came out to meet the protesters, but they refused to talk to him and instead hurled missiles and bags full of dust at him. Several windows were broken. At around 6 p.m. the protesters dispersed and went home. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A4) K.Z.