Karolina Gałecka, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of the Interior and Administration, said the police had confiscated more than 450 items, including firecrackers and flares, despite a ban on their use during the gathering.
She said several people had also been detained because they were wanted by the authorities, while others had violated restrictions on the use of drones in the airspace.
Gałecka warned that those who had set off flares could face fines of up to PLN 5,000 (around EUR 1,170).
She added that police would use surveillance footage and camera recordings to identify people who had used pyrotechnics illegally.
The spokeswoman said the restrictions were intended to protect public safety, recalling an incident several years ago in which a photojournalist was injured after a flare was used during a gathering in Warsaw.
Deputy Interior Minister Czesław Mroczek described Wednesday’s march as peaceful, although he said police had recorded more than 400 incidents involving pyrotechnics.
He added that further arrests could follow as officers identified those responsible.
Mroczek said around 10,000 police officers had been deployed to secure the Independence March and other gatherings in the capital that day.
He confirmed that six people wanted by the authorities had been detained.
Separately, Mroczek said the ministry was reviewing Poland’s regulations on firearms permits.
The review includes the possibility of introducing regular medical examinations for gun owners, as well as examining psychological assessments and medical certificates required to obtain permits.
He said the ministry was also considering whether black-powder firearms should be entered in a register, although it did not intend to require permits for their ownership.
According to Warsaw’s Security Centre, this year’s Independence March attracted around 250,000 participants.
Photo: PAP/Paweł Supernak
(pg/gs)
Source: IAR/PAP