Polish police said Sunday that an officer who sprayed tear gas into the face of a member of parliament during a protest probably did so because he perceived the politician as a threat.
An officer sprayed Barbara Nowacka, a center-left opposition lawmaker, in the face with the gas as she held out her parliamentary identity card to show him Saturday night. The incident occurred during a protest in Warsaw, the capital, against a restrictive abortion ruling.
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Warsaw police spokesman Sylwester Marczak acknowledged, at first, that the use of pepper spray against a lawmaker looked “shocking.”
However, later police published video clips on Twitter of the incident. They said Nowacka had ignored calls to move away from police and they suggested that her gesture as she showed her ID to the officer could have seemed threatening.
“A person who, despite calls to move away from the police formation, deliberately continues to approach and suddenly extends a hand with an object in front of the policeman’s face, may be perceived as a threat,” police said on Twitter.
Nowacka was one of several lawmakers who attended the protest to monitor events after police used force and tear gas against protesters at other recent demonstrations.
She was sprayed as police tried to remove protesters who had blocked a major thoroughfare after police had prevented them from marching elsewhere in Warsaw. She received medical attention after being sprayed.
Speaking Sunday, Nowacka called the police behavior unnecessary and disproportionate.
“This is how women fighting for their rights are treated in Poland,” Nowacka said.
The protests over Poland’s new abortion law began when the constitutional court, under the influence of the right-wing ruling party, on Oct. 22 banned abortions of fetuses with congenital defects, even when the fetus has no chance of survival at birth.
Police also published a video which they said showed Marta Lempart, a key leader in the Women’s Strike movement, insulting and spitting at police on Saturday.
“Away from the television cameras, the attitude of these people looks quite different (than peaceful protesters),” police wrote.
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