Russian Euro 2012 team could face Polish protester problems

jeudi 17 mai 2012

Russian Euro 2012 team could face Polish protester problems

The Russian football team has chosen one of Poland's most elegant hotels for its stay during Euro 2012, but it could face problems from Polish protesters who regularly stage anti-Moscow demos next door. “They did not consult with us, but they already know that this could be a problem,” Interior Minister Jacek Cichocki told Wednesday's edition of the Wyborcza daily. Polish protesters at the presidential palace, next door to the prestigious Bristol Hotel, regularly hold demonstrations with strong anti-Russian accents. Many of the protesters accuse the Kremlin of orchestrating the plane crash in 2010 that killed then-President Lech Kaczynski and 95 others in Smolensk, Russia. Official reports say the plane crash was caused by bad weather and pilot error. But a minority of Poles say it was orchestrated by Moscow, who wanted to get rid of Kaczynski for his criticism of Russia and its 2008 conflict with Georgia. Protesters still gather regularly to pray and light candles outside the presidential palace, where Kaczynski once lived. They hold demonstrations on the 10th of every month that draw some 2,000 people to mark the April 10 crash, which occurred in heavy fog and killed much of Poland's political and military elite. The next protest slated for June 10 – when the Russian team will be staying at the Bristol before their match with Poland – will be a “challenge” for security officials, Cichocki told the Wyborcza. “I note that the Russians picked this hotel themselves, without asking our opinion,” Cichocki said on Tuesday. “Now the Russian side is already aware of the potential difficulties. We suggested some solutions to them, but I will not speak about the details.” The problem was that the Russian team rented only half of the hotel, so the facility could not be closed off to the public, Cichocki said. Protesters will “certainly” use the anniversary as an opportunity to shout slogans under the hotel's windows, or even to throw eggs or provoke the Russian footballers, the daily said, citing sources at the ministry.    That could lead to allegations from Russia that Poland was not providing adequate security during the championships, the sources said. Cichocki said Tuesday that some 10,000 policemen, border control officers and firefighters were fully ready to provide security at the Euro tournament which Poland and Ukraine host June 8 until July 1. 
Source: http://www.goalzz.com/main.aspx?n=175275