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On Wednesday, thousands of women went out to march against a new law that bans abortion. The protests have been going on for 7 days, with no apparent end in sight.

Like many other Polish cities, Krakow's streets are full of angry people who want to make a change to this injustice. Here is my photoreportage covering it. The protesters have chosen the symbol of red lightning, used red and white-colored makeup and signs of red hoods, which represent the series Handmaid's Tale, in which the authoritarian state violates the rights of women.

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the ruling Law and Justice party leader, has called on his supporters to "defend Poland" against protesters that want to "destroy the nation." Things have been escalating rapidly, and riot police were deployed a day ago. Many critics call the use of such martial methods undemocratic and unfair to its citizens, to say the least.

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#1

People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

"So bad that even introverts came out"

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Joseph Rychetsky
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Layla say that to homeless and poor people who need it, not an internet website

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Meredith Taylor
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

but it just bothers me that that women on the left isn't covering her nose too

LittleLemon88
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Maybe her mask fell off of her nose and she was trying to cover it back up?

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    #2

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

    Law and Justice (PiS) is suspicious.

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    Red
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I saw PiS vent and kill orange white and yellow

    Jacob Hudson
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I play Among Us a lot so I approve of this, this sign is not sus.

    PARIS ROYAL
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    omg amoung us but why use blue its my fav color

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    #3

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

    "#Striking women
    Hope your d**k steps on a LEGO"
    "#Women's hell"

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    Monika Rhodes
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's more like 'I hope you step on lego asshole'

    Night Owl
    Community Member
    5 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Ooh that's too bad, I liked the "Hope your d**k steps on a LEGO" translation/version, someone should make that sign for real

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    Monika Rhodes
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    One in the middle from what I can see is 'instead of stop(ping) covid I'd chose to stop PIS'

    Calane E. Vanya
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Obyś ch*** wdepnął w LEGO" means "I wish you'll step on LEGO, you d**k"

    Darwinist
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What about the this is NOT fine one

    Storm Anne
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "hope your d**k steps on a lego" hahahah

    Emily Bambridge
    Community Member
    4 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Hi, I'm doing a university essay on these protests for a module about feminism, I was wondering if its okay if I use some of your photos, I will provide a link to this page and your username. Thanks!

    #4

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    Enuya
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Don't make coffins out of our bodies"

    LittleLemon88
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Are you Polish or did you use Google Translate? XD, just a joke, not trying to offend anyone. In fact, I'm impressed:)

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    #5

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

    "Rights for people with uterus"

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    Enuya
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Also on this photo: "You'll not be alone, I'm going with you" and "You've blood on your hands"

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    #6

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    Enuya
    Community Member
    5 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Poster with ***** ***: "Not every Kaja is like Godek". Kaja Godek is Polish extreme anty-choice activist, who helped to force almost complete abortion ban in Poland into life.

    Michał Jastrzębski
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I dont think her stance is even "almost complete" - its just "totally not allowed" bs right now.

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    LittleLemon88
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Stopping to protest on his way to deliver an Uber Eats order. Love it:)

    #7

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

    "A drunk"
    "My p***y is not Jarusia's (Jaroslaw Kaczynski's)"

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    #8

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

    "This government topples women over"

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    Enuya
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Actually, it's exactly the other way around: "Women will topples this government over"

    Joseph Rychetsky
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I am probably being an idiot, but what is abortion?{I am in 7th grade and I want to know more about this issue

    Jamnik
    Community Member
    5 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    Well the translations are quite bad, tbh. I wouldn’t make anything out of it if I didn’t know Polish

    Enuya
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oh, Almighty, enlighten us and translate it better then. Comment section is open, as far as I know.

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    #9

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

    Destroy the infamous.

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    #11

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    Enuya
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Posters on right: "I'm afraid to start a family in my own country", "God with you, f**k us", "Pissed off Pikachu"

    Idaaoyama
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's "God with us, d**k with you (=f*** you)"

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    #12

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    Enuya
    Community Member
    5 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "UJ (Jagiellonian University) apologizes for Duda (Polish president)" Andrzej Duda is a graduate of this university.

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    #13

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    Enuya
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    From left to right: "My uterus, my choice" --> "Kaczor (Jarosław Kaczyński, Polish Politic) to the sack, sack to the lake" --> "I've fu**ing had enough of you" --> "Shut up and turn Twitter off"

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    #14

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    ᴍɪᴋᴀꜱᴀ ᴀᴄᴋᴇʀᴍᴀɴ
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    -I should be Paying attention to the protest, but I was looking at that Headless Pigeon @v@-

    Michał Jastrzębski
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    8 stars on the banner is a "jebac PiS" (f**k PiS, the ruling party) "censored" slogan.

    Calane E. Vanya
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    this pigeon was the first victim (R.I.N. rest in the nest, brother)

    #16

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    #17

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    Ola Polowczyk
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If any of you is wondering why there's a Moomin sign, there is a story behind this: after the constitutional tribunal sentence, Kaja Godek (the extreme anti-choice activist) posted on her FB a convo with her son: "- You know you can't kill Moomins anymore? - What, mum? - The Moomins are safe now. -Cool, thanks mum!". And the official Moomin FP commented on that saying they do not agree with Moomins being used for political purposes. She deleted the comment, but there are screenshots :)

    Talmage Thomas
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Honestly Portland is the worlds biggest cesspool it has an insane amount of human trafficking and homeless people. Portland sucks.

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    #18

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    Paulina
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    We'd rather have fundamental rights, thanks.

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    #19

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    #20

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    Katarzyna Drozd
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Those 8 stars are a symbol for "f**k PiS" ( jebać PiS) PiS is a ruling party

    Enuya
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Left to right: illegible --> "Kaczor (Jarosław Kaczyński), you stole the moon already, don't steal women's freedom" (allusion to the movie he starred as a child). ---> "If they want to have an abortion, they fu**ing will do it anyway" --> (behing other poster) "Who sows the wind reaps the storm"

    Ola Polowczyk
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The one with the moon says "Kaczor (Kaczyński) You already stole moon, don't steal women's freedom". Jarosław Kaczyński and his late twin brother Lech (he was the president that died in Smolensk catastrophy) starred as kids in a movie called "About two boys who stole the moon"

    Michał Jastrzębski
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Kaczor, you already stole the moon, dont steal women's freedom" is refering to the movie that Jaroslaw Kaczynski was a child actor in.

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    #21

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    Calane E. Vanya
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "wypie***j/wypie***ć" means "go the f**k out" and it's the most common slogan during those protests. it's rude, but, well, everybody knew "kurwa" one before... it may be your second polish word, congrats.

    Maya Pac
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "It's not Leviosa, it's: get the f**k out"

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    #22

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    Enuya
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Banner on front: "If you want to play with someone's life, buy The Sims"

    Calane E. Vanya
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Jak chcecie sterować życiem innych to kupcie sobie Simsy" = "If you want to control the lives of others, buy the Sims"

    #23

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    #24

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    Enuya
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Poster with scythe: "I was already nice". Poster with top of church: "Away with backwardness"

    Calane E. Vanya
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Miła już byłam" will be rather something like: "I was nice before (and I won't be nice now)"

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    #25

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    Enuya
    Community Member
    5 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm almost sure I'm translating this incorrectly, since it has two idioms in it, but it's more or less something like: "The women are upset: 'Oh, the curse on the Duck!'". (It's a word-play: 'Kaczka' - Duck - is an allusion to "Kaczyński", last name of Polish politic). Also, the slogan is a quote from poem written by Jan Brzechwa.

    Ola Polowczyk
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Nah, it's a good translation. It's not a direct quote though, it's a paraphrase :)

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    #26

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    Enuya
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "It's scary to have sex"

    Magdalena Seweryn
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It can also mean "It's scary to coexist" <--as a second, less popular meaning ...

    Idaaoyama
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Photo taken in Krakow in front of the house of Antoni Suski, a wealthy Krakovian merchant from the beginning of XX century. The fun thing is, that Suski is the name of a prominent PIS politician who is largely known for being a complete idiot (the man never heard of Katherine the Great, and once said that Poles like to go on vacation to African countries like Egypt, so an airport south of Warsaw is great for them, which is why the international airport (hub^^) in Radom is such an splendid idea).

    Lech Miłaczewski
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The stars means "jebać(fiirst 5 stars) PiS (last 3 stars)" (f**k the Law and Justice Party).

    #27

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    #28

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    Enuya
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "We don't need Tinder, Pis (Law and Justice, Polish party) is f***ing us every day"

    #29

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    Enuya
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    On left: "He stole a moon and women's rights" (It's an alusion to a movie in which Jaroslaw Kaczyński was playing as a child). In the centre: "I study I feel I decide"

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    #30

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    #31

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    Enuya
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Left: "The power of pu**y". Center: "You've every reason to be afraid of women"

    #32

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    Enuya
    Community Member
    5 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Form left to right: "22.10.2020 Polish women won't forgive you" --> "Criminal, not a saint" (poster with pope) --> "It's my pu*sy, not Jaroslaw's" --> "I hate you because you taught me how to hate"

    #33

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    Enuya
    Community Member
    5 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "The main government switch" (allusion to polish TV and conservative politicians, who says the symbol of protests, lighting, is an allusion to a Nazi symbol). On right: "Freedom of choice"

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    #34

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    #35

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    #37

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    #38

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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    Agnes Merikan
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Historically, hangers were used as an implement to perform illegal abortions. It symbolizes the fact that a ban doesn't stop abotrtions, it only makes them more dangerous to women.

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    #40

    People Are Protesting In Poland Against New Laws That Ban Abortion

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