Thousands in Poland stand up against erosion of democracy

WARSAW, Poland — Thousands of Poles marched in Warsaw on Saturday to demand respect for their country's constitution while denouncing a populist government they accuse of eroding democracy.

Many carried Polish and European Union flags during an event promoted as the “March of Freedom” and chanted slogans such as “Constitution!” and “Free courts!”

Two pro-European and centrist opposition parties, Civic Platform and Modern, were the key organizers of the protest, along with a pro-democracy civic group.

In speeches, their leaders accused the ruling right-wing Law and Justice party of chipping away at democratic freedoms with an overhaul of the judicial system that gives the party vast powers over the courts.

EU leaders have urged the Polish government to reverse some of the changes. The government insists it has the political mandate to reform a broken justice system.

Civic Platform leader Grzegorz Schetyna said the government's opponents are fighting for “freedom, dignity, democracy, the constitution, the independence of the Constitutional Tribunal, the independence of courts and Poland in Europe.”

Some protesters held up copies of the Polish Constitution. The march was also an attempt by opposition parties to gain momentum against the ruling party ahead of local elections this fall and the parliamentary election next year.

City Hall, which is controlled by Civic Platform, said 50,000 people took part. Police called that estimate high but did not give their own estimate.