Polish protest against play deemed ‘pornographic’ leads to arrests of 12 people

WARSAW, Poland – Authorities have arrested 12 people who tried to block the entrance to a theatre performance in Poland they deemed pornographic.

The case highlights a cultural conflict between the country’s new conservative pro-Catholic government and secular society.

Scuffles broke out late Saturday in Wroclaw when members of a Catholic organization tried to stop theatre-goers from seeing “Death and the Maiden,” based on the work of Nobel Prize-winning writer Elfriede Jelinek.

The protesters objected to the presence on the stage of porn stars.

The government’s new culture minister, Piotr Glinski, had previously called for the show to be cancelled, noting the theatre is sponsored by the state budget.

Glinski’s opponents say his attempt to stop the performance amounts to a violation of freedom of speech.

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

Create a free account

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

Related Articles