Bolesławiec pottery, renowned worldwide, is a signature of the region. The distinctive ceramics, featuring an indigo blue polka dot pattern, are treasured by collectors and proudly displayed in many homes. On 16 August 2024, Bolesławiec celebrated its 30th Pottery Day. A highlight of the event is the parade through the city streets, culminating at the main stage where concerts are held. However, the 30th edition of Pottery Day will be remembered not only for its fantastic guests.

This year's Pottery Day in Bolesławiec saw the participation of representatives from the LGBT community, whose presence did not sit well with a group of football hooligans attending the event. Among the parade participants were members of the rainbow organisation Homokomando, who carried flags bearing the message, "We are all from the same clay."

One participant described the situation in an interview with Gazeta Wyborcza: "We noticed that FC Bolesławiec supporters had joined the parade. They were supposed to be there with their families and children, but there were also aggressive individuals among them. We lined up in rows, but when the supporters saw people with rainbow flags joining the march, they became hostile towards them."

Linus Lewandowski, a board member of Homokomando, further explained: "We were marching together in the parade when we suddenly noticed a group of people in the crowd wearing identical T-shirts. They began chanting ‘fuck off...’ and other vulgar slogans. From what I gathered from locals, these were FC Bolesławiec supporters."

According to Lewandowski, a glass water bottle was thrown in his direction, shattering on the pavement near the marchers. One of the thrown objects reportedly landed close to a child, putting them at risk of injury. Lewandowski added: "We were left wondering what might happen next, what else they might throw. It felt like typical counter-protests to equality marches, except in those cases, police officers usually stand between us and the counter-protesters, making it safer because they’re generally too afraid to throw anything over the police line. Here, there was just a crowd of onlookers between us and them, with no control from security or the police."

A woman who had repeatedly reported to the police about the hooligans' behaviour towards people carrying rainbow flags finally reached her breaking point and decided to confront the group herself. In an interview with Gazeta Wyborcza, she recounted: "We reported their behaviour several times, but then I ran over and shouted at them to stop. I also told them I was going to record them."

"There were about ten young, muscular men there," she explained. When she took out her phone, the attackers reacted immediately, rushing towards her. "They started covering their faces, jabbing me with their elbows, and punching me in the chest."

The men managed to knock the phone out of her hand, and one of them attempted to destroy it. The woman tried to intervene by grabbing the man's trouser pocket, which tore, further escalating their aggression. "He became furious. He could have kicked me, he could have done anything to me, but people saw what was happening. A lady brought me my mobile phone with a broken screen, and a man with a camera appeared. As soon as they realised they were about to be photographed, they ran away."

The woman was later taken away by ambulance. At the hospital, she was diagnosed with a wrist injury, shin injury, knee contusion, and a severe stress reaction and adjustment disorder.

Source: Gazeta Wyborcza