Polish MEP sparks outrage after burning EU flag in Katowice PHOTO

Grzegorz Braun, Member of the European Parliament representing the far-right Confederation of the Polish Crown, has ignited fresh controversy after publicly burning the European Union flag in Katowice.

The incident occurred shortly after the European Parliament lifted Braun’s immunity, enabling prosecutors to bring charges against him for hate speech, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

Braun, a self-declared nationalist Catholic with monarchist leanings and a history of anti-Semitic rhetoric, faces prosecution for an incident in December 2023, during which he used a fire extinguisher to douse Hanukkah candles lit in the Polish Sejm. That act was widely condemned as religious intolerance and prompted the move to strip him of parliamentary protections.

In his latest provocation, Braun entered the Ministry of Industry building in Katowice to protest what he referred to as the “liquidation of Polish mining.” While inside the building, he tore down the European Union flag. As he exited, he threw the flag on the ground and wiped his feet on it.

When confronted by a ministry employee, Braun retorted, “Have pity on yourself and if you are not ashamed, people – fear God.” He added, “This is Poland, not Brussels. We will not display symbols of organizations hostile to us, which, thank God, do not have state status, which is why such emblems are not surrounded by any legal protection.”

Taking his protest further, Braun carried the EU flag outside, threw it to the ground once more, and set it on fire. The act was recorded and shared by Braun himself on his official X account, accompanied by the caption: “Down with Eurocommunism! This is Poland.”

Braun’s actions come amid his escalating isolation from mainstream Polish political alliances. Recently, he was expelled from the Confederation Liberty and Independence coalition after announcing his presidential candidacy—an announcement that reportedly defied internal party consensus in favor of New Hope leader Sławomir Mentzen.

The flag-burning stunt has sparked criticism across the political spectrum and is expected to further intensify legal proceedings and debates over the limits of political expression and hate speech in the European Union.

By Vafa Guliyeva