Thousands march in support of Lech Wałęsa

Thousands took to the streets of Warsaw on Saturday to show support for the legendary leader of the Solidarity movement, Lech Wałęsa, who is battling with allegations of being a paid informant to the communist secret services in the 1970s. The protest was organized by the Committee for the Defence of Democracy (KOD), a movement that emerged autumn last year following the implementation of controversial policies by the conservative government formed by Law and Justice. According to police data, the rally numbered 15,000 supporters, while city hall officials estimated the number at 80,000. On Sunday, Wałęsa's wife, Danuta, addressed a similar demonstration in Gdańsk, where around 15,000 people gathered. “If Lech Wałęsa had not spoken to the Communists, he would have achieved nothing — we would not be here, and God knows how events would have turned out," Danuta Wałęsa said. “I can guarantee that he never hurt anyone, he never betrayed anyone or sold them out, and that he never accepted any money." Lech Wałęsa himself didn't turn up, but told media that the accusations are "all made up."