Andrzej Rzepliński, who presided over Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal from 2010 to 2016, called the demonstrations “incomprehensible”, PAP cited him as saying in an interview with Polish daily Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
The protests, which were sparked by the tribunal’s ruling last week that abortion of a malformed foetus violates the constitution, in the beginning saw demonstrators daubing slogans on church building and disrupting masses.
Rzepliński was cited by Dziennik Gazeta Prawna as saying that vulgar slogans at demonstrations “only escalate the conflict and lead to an anarchization of life.”
He added that it was “wrong when the Church curls up its tail.”
“A bishop who respects himself and respects his Church should go out to these people,” Rzepliński was cited as saying.
He also condemned noisy protests outside Polish conservative leader and deputy Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński’s house.
Thousands have taken to the streets around Poland for seven straight days to protest against a ruling by the Constitutional Tribunal which in practice signals a near-total ban on abortion in the overwhelmingly Roman Catholic country.
The biggest demonstration so far is planned for Friday in Warsaw, state news agency PAP reported.
On Thursday, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki issued a plea for Friday’s protest to be called off as coronavirus infections and deaths hit a record.
On Tuesday, Polish conservative leader Jarosław Kaczyński called on supporters to defend churches, warning that “attacks” by pro-abortion protesters on places of worship aim to "destroy Poland".
On Friday, Poland reported a record rise in coronavirus infections for the fourth consecutive day, confirming 21,629 new cases, the most since the pandemic hit the country in early March.
(jh/pk)
Source: Dziennik Gazeta Prawna/PAP