The Polish news agency reported on Tuesday that "a far-right Polish MP used a fire extinguisher to put out Hanukkah candles in parliament and has been accused of committing crimes including insulting individuals on religious grounds." The Polish parliament had previously voted to lift the immunity of MP Grzegorz B. from the Confederation party after the incident in December sparked international outrage. Privacy laws in Poland prohibit the publication of the last names of individuals charged with criminal offenses.
The MP disrupted a religious ceremony that included members of the Jewish community, grabbed a fire extinguisher, walked into the parliament foyer where the candles were, and opened the extinguisher towards them, creating a white cloud that forced security personnel to evacuate the area. He then went on stage in the chamber and described Hanukkah as "satanic." When later asked if he felt ashamed of his actions, he replied, "Those who participate in devil worship should be ashamed."
The MP, who has also made pro-Russian statements in the past, faces separate accusations, including throwing a Christmas tree decorated in the colors of the European Union and Ukraine into a trash bin and damaging a microphone during a speech by a Holocaust historian. It is unclear what penalty he may face if convicted.
