After farmers clash with police, Polish premier says no talks with ‘hooligans’

By Jo Harper

WARSAW (AA) - Poland’s prime minister said he will talk with farmers, but not those that commit violence, after major clashes in the capital Warsaw on Wednesday, local media reported.

“There were also people who committed acts of violence against security services for political reasons. An unpleasant and dramatic course of events, but quite typical,” said Donald Tusk. “I will not talk to hooligans, I will only talk to farmers.”

On Wednesday, protesters hurled stones at police and pushed through barriers around parliament, injuring several officers, police said.

Farmers – demanding a withdrawal from the EU’s Green Deal and curbs on Ukrainian grain imports – also blocked highways into Warsaw, and supporters gathered in front of the prime minister’s office before marching on parliament. Some trampled an EU flag. The farmers were joined by miners, foresters, and hunters.

Police said they had detained over a dozen people. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said on X that 23 people had been detained.

Michal Kolodziejczak, the deputy agriculture minister, said on Wednesday it was necessary to isolate “provocateurs and troublemakers.”

Tusk has said the farmers’ demands were justified and that he plans to propose amendments to the EU’s Green Deal. He announced Wednesday that he had invited the farmers’ leaders for a follow-up meeting this Saturday, but added that he had not agreed to negotiations.

“I don't want to go into details, but I'm very concerned about it. I want to deliver what is possible with the Green Deal. I think that on Saturday I will have something serious to announce to farmers,” Tusk told a press conference in Warsaw before leaving for a meeting in Bucharest, Romania.v​​​​​​​