WARRINGTON and Halton councils are being urged to show their opposition to Poland’s repressive policies against lesbian and gay people.
The call comes from the Green Party in the two boroughs who want both to become safe havens for LGBT+ people fleeing from Poland.
Lyndsay McAteer, leader of Warrington and Halton Green Party said: “We are concerned for the safety and wellbeing of all Polish nationals. At this moment in time, there will be Polish people who are afraid to go back to Poland in the current atmosphere.”
She said Warrington and Halton were home to a great many people who originate from Poland.
“We are proud to live amongst them. Back in Poland, a situation is developing which threatens human rights and essential freedoms.One third of Poland municipalities have declared themselves LGBT-free zones. The identity of people is being challenged and threatened with accusations that the ‘LGBT ideology’ is a threat to family values and traditional culture. There have been demonstrations and homophobic slurs in many areas of the country.”
Recent elections in which homophobic politicians had been elected had exacerbated the situation where LGBT+ were made scapegoats and often linked to paedophilia and child rape.
The European Union and theWorld Health Organisation had already condemned the state of affairs and many young people from Poland had already left their homeland to escape persecution, discrimination, and hate crime.
“Warrington and Halton Green Party are concerned for the safety and wellbeing of all Polish nationals. At this moment in time, there will be Polish people who are afraid to go back to Poland in the current atmosphere.
“We want to see a commitment from both Warrington and Halton Councils to doing everything they can to register our opposition to Poland’s repressive policies against LGBT+.
“We also want reassurances that our towns will be a safe haven for anyone who has to flee from Poland because of the homophobic and transphobic regime. “On Coming Out Day, October 11, we stand in solidarity with LGBT+ in Poland and elsewhere to demand an end to homophobia, transphobia, and discrimination. “
