Notes from Poland reports that a district court in Częstochowa, Poland last week concluded that two women were guilty of "offending religious feelings" in violation of Article 196 of Poland's Penal Code. The defendants were identified only as Kamila Ł.-B. and Magdalena W.-D. During the 2021 Equality March in Częstochowa, they displayed images of the Virgin Mary and Jesus with rainbow haloes above their heads. In a procedure which did not require a full trial, the court relied on the opinion of an expert who said that the haloes were not of the Biblical, seven-colors symbolizing hope and closeness to God, but instead were the six-colored LGBT symbol. The court imposed 5 months of community service on one defendant and fined the other 2,000 zloty. Defendants' lawyer says they will contest the judgment, requiring the case to go to a full public trial.
