Bąkiewicz Slams Prosecutor’s Decision as “Political Revenge” Over 2020 Protest Incident

Robert Bąkiewicz, leader of Poland’s Border Defence Movement, has labeled the recent decision to enforce a court sentence against him as “political revenge,” following the announcement by Prosecutor General Adam Bodnar to lift the suspension of his sentence. The punishment stems from a 2023 ruling which found Bąkiewicz guilty of violating the bodily integrity of activist Katarzyna Augustynek, also known as “Grandma Kasia,” during a 2020 protest.
The court had previously sentenced Bąkiewicz to one year of unpaid community service and a 10,000 PLN compensation to Augustynek. However, enforcement of the sentence was paused due to a pending pardon procedure initiated by former Prosecutor General Zbigniew Ziobro. Bodnar, in explaining his decision to reinstate the punishment, pointed out that “no presidential decision has yet been made” on the matter and emphasized concerns about Bąkiewicz’s conduct since the verdict.
Legal experts remain divided. Some view the move as a justified step in upholding judicial decisions, while others, like attorney Bartosz Lewandowski, argue that the case reflects political double standards, especially when considering past confrontations involving Augustynek and law enforcement.
Bąkiewicz has since shared footage of the 2020 confrontation, which took place during the women’s rights protests, claiming it disproves the accusations. He insists the action against him is a targeted attack aimed at dismantling his movement. “Punishment and its execution are not justice—they are political revenge,” he said. “But Bodnar will not succeed. We will win.”