Court rejects arrest warrant for Piotr W., detained near Constitutional Tribunal
A Warsaw court declined to remand a man detained on Friday near the seat of the Constitutional Tribunal into custody. Piotr W. has been charged with assault on a police officer and attempting to influence a police officer's actions.
Detainee near Tribunal avoids arrest
Warsaw Court declined to remand Piotr W., detained by police on Friday near the Constitutional Tribunal, into custody — according to Interia. Magdalena Majkowska, one of the man's defence lawyers, confirmed the court's decision on platform X, noting that "in the Court's view, there is no need to apply any preventive measures".
Defence attorney Bartosz Malewski reported on Saturday that Piotr W. had been informed of charges under articles 224 and 222 of the penal code — attempting to influence police officers' actions and assault. The man refused to provide an explanation and denied the charges.
The prosecution had requested a one-month remand in custody, justifying this by the need to conduct forensic psychiatric examinations and the risk of the suspect going into hiding. Piotr W. fainted after hearing information about the remand request and was transported by ambulance to hospital.
A team of defence lawyers — Magdalena Majkowska, Magdalena Prządka-Leszczyńska and Bartosz Malewski from the Ordo Iuris organisation — argued that the conditions for applying a custodial measure were not met. They pointed out that the man had no prior criminal record, has a stable life situation, works in the volunteer fire service and is a former professional soldier.
The detention occurred on Friday on Marszałkowska Street. Police officers securing a gathering near the Constitutional Tribunal's seat noticed a man behaving suspiciously. During the intervention, Piotr W. began to flee, refused to cooperate with the officers and pushed a female police officer. During the search, a knife was found on him, but he did not attempt to use it.
The capital's police published footage from a body camera of one of the officers. The video material shows the moment when the man does not respond to commands, flees and is subdued in the building's vestibule. During the intervention, he shouted "You are choking me" and "They attacked me". Right-wing politicians questioned the course of the detention.
Source: Interia