Extra security planned for Polish independence marches

WARSAW, Poland – Poland’s interior minister says thousands of officers will be providing security next week during Independence Day observances in Warsaw that previously led to violent clashes between politically opposed groups and with police.

Various groups hold marches to celebrate Poland’s independence and democracy on Nov.11, a national holiday. Events organized by far-right groups and anarchists often devolve into street fights that sometimes lead to injuries and property damage.

Interior Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said Thursday that some 7,000 police officers will make sure marchers and Warsaw residents are safe this year.

Seventeen different groups have registered with the city to stage marches, including far-right groups and anarchists.

Blaszczak serves with Poland’s year-old conservative government. The previous centrist government insisted it could not ban registered marches, even potentially violent ones.