Poland, which has one of the most pro-Bush governments of Eastern Europe, saw two anti-war demonstrations on the 15 February: one in Gdansk and the biggest one in Warsaw.

Warsaw demonstrates in its thousands

The demonstration in Warsaw brought 3000 people out. The radical left formed the biggest organised part of the demo, but also Self-Defence, pro-EU campaigners, anti-EU campaigners, religious groups and Amnesty International joined in what was reported to be the biggest anti-war demo in Polish recent history. A clear majority of public opinion is against a US-led war against Iraq.

The protesters marched from the centre of Warsaw to the American Embassy and formed a picket. The American Embassy is opposite the Polish parliament and the small park in between fails to hide the obvious connection between them. The demonstrators picked up on this by shouting slogans against Bush and the pro-US Polish establishment. President Kwasniewski who is in the running to be the next secretary-general of NATO was the most hated domestic figure. "Kwasniewski – terrorist together with Bush – terrorist; Putin – terrorist" were the slogans most often heard.

After two and a half hours the action ended and protesters could leave the snow and find some shelter against the cold.

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