Polish Appellate Court Refuses To Order Removal of Cross Hanging In Parliament

In Poland yesterday, the Court of Appeal in Warsaw dismissed a suit by members of Your Movement party, a liberal Polish political party, seeking to have a cross which hangs in the Plenary Hall of the Sejm (lower house of Parliament) removed. Polskie Radio reports that challengers, invoking both the Polish constitution and EU directives, argued that that the presence of the cross violates their rights to freedom of conscience and religion.  In rejecting their challenge, the court said: "The cross is a religious symbol, but its importance as a symbol of national identity and culture cannot be ignored." The court's press release on the decision (in Polish) is available online. The head of Your Movement says that they will appeal the decision to the European Court of Human Rights. (See prior related posting.)