Poland honours victims of communist-era massacre
PR dla Zagranicy
Grzegorz Siwicki
17.12.2018 12:29
Polish officials on Monday honoured the victims of a communist-era massacre of workers in the north of the country.
Monday's ceremonies in front of the Monument to the Fallen Shipyard Workers of 1970 in the northern Polish city of Gdańsk. Photo: PAP/Marcin Gadomski
The commemorations marked 48 years since Poland’s former communist rulers in December 1970 ordered the army and police to open fire on protesting workers on the country’s Baltic coast, killing at least 45.
The protesters at the time "opposed the exploitation and persecution of workers by the communist regime," while also demanding “the restoration of their dignity ... and civil and human rights,” President Andrzej Duda wrote in a letter that was read out by an aide during a ceremony in the northern port city of Gdynia.
Duda said that the 1970 protests were suppressed "with extreme brutality," with the communist government at the time deploying tanks and “naval and air forces” against defenceless workers, in addition to armed riot police.
In December 1970, drastic price rises gave rise to massive, more than weeklong protests in Gdynia as well as Gdańsk and Szczecin in northern Poland, triggering one of the most brutal crackdowns of the communist era.
At least 45 people were killed and more than 1,100 injured after police and soldiers opened fire on protesters, who also demanded a change of government and freedom of speech.
December 17, 1970, so-called "Black Thursday," marked the worst day of the crackdown.
(gs)
Source: TVP Info, IAR, PAP