Polish LGBTQ activist Margot faces prosecution amid widespread condemnation from artists and academics
On June 27, Margot, a 22-year-old founder of the Stop Bzdurom collective, was arrested for vandalizing a van belonging to the neo-nationalist organization Fundacja Pro-prawo do życia and for assaulting a pro-life protester. A Polish court has since mandated her pretrial detention. Last week, Margot was among more than 40 activists who were detained for placing rainbow flags on statues in Warsaw, with most having since been released. An open letter signed by prominent figures like Paul B. Preciado and Olga Tokarczuk denounces her arrest as part of a broader governmental campaign against sexual and gender minorities. Fundacja Pro's website criticizes Margot, and the group is notorious for its anti-LGBT stance, which has been exacerbated by Andrzej Duda's presidential campaign rhetoric.
Key facts
- Margot, founder of Stop Bzdurom, is prosecuted for vandalizing a van of Fundacja Pro-prawo do życia
- Margot was arrested alongside over 40 activists for decorating Warsaw statues with rainbow flags
- An open letter signed by artists and academics condemns the arrest as targeting LGBTQ rights
- Polish authorities dismissed a lawsuit against Fundacja Pro in February 2020
- Andrzej Duda's presidential campaign promoted anti-LGBT policies like a 'family card'
- About a third of Poland's municipal councils have declared 'LGBT-free zones'
- Karol Radziszewski warned in ArtReview that political rhetoric encourages homophobia
- Margot is accused of assaulting a pro-life demonstrator on 27 June
Entities
Artists
- Margot
- Paul B. Preciado
- Judith Butler
- Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster
- Wojciech Pus
- Sebastian Cichocki
- Olga Tokarczuk
- Antonio Negri
- Karol Radziszewski
Institutions
- Stop Bzdurom
- Fundacja Pro-prawo do życia
- Law and Justice party (PiS)
- ArtReview
Locations
- Warsaw
- Poland