Category: Bez kategorii

We are pleased to announce that the BASTA Foundation has officially registered its first press title, marking a significant new chapter in our organization’s activities. This important step provides us with a powerful tool to more effectively reach our audience, promote social initiatives, and bring attention to key issues aligned with our mission.

The registration of a press title opens up numerous opportunities for the BASTA Foundation. First and foremost, it allows us to regularly publish journalistic content, including reports, expert articles, and analyses, available both in print and online. This will amplify our voice in important social debates and help us raise awareness of issues ranging from the protection of civil rights to the fight for equality and justice. The broader reach of our content will have a greater impact on shaping public opinion.

Additionally, this press title will help us build a community around the foundation by organizing regular events with experts and authors and publishing content created in collaboration with our partners and volunteers. We also plan to create a platform where anyone interested can share their opinions, stories, and ideas in support of the common good.

We encourage everyone to follow our activities and actively participate in the development of this unique project, which is yet another step by the BASTA Foundation towards building a better, fairer society.

In response to the homophobic incident that took place on July 19, 2024, at the Polonia Warsaw stadium, the Basta Foundation issued an appeal on July 24, 2024, to the Minister of Sports and Tourism, Sławomir Nitras, to look into the matter and take steps to draw consequences.

During one of the matches on July 19, 2024, a group of fans hung a banner over the entrance to the Polonia Warsaw stadium with the slogan “LGBT-Free Zone” and a crossed-out rainbow flag, which is a symbol of the LGBT+ community. What is most concerning about this incident is that it was not carried out by politicians but by ordinary people. This indicates that during the last eight years of Law and Justice’s governance, a portion of society has been convinced that it is permissible to exclude certain social groups.

According to § 4, section 2, item b of the Regulations for Mass Events – Football Matches with the Participation of KS Polonia Warsaw, during a mass event – a football match, it is particularly prohibited to proclaim and display slogans of obscene, offensive, vulgar, racist content, incitement to conflict based on nationality, religion, social status, worldview, etc.; as well as encouraging other participants of the mass event to proclaim such content, including by chanting songs or slogans.

The above event constituted a violation of these regulations as it incited conflict based on worldview and sexual orientation. Undoubtedly, this banner refers to the hate campaign against LGBT+ people by municipalities associated with Law and Justice, which adopted exclusionary resolutions against sexual minorities. These resolutions were intended to provoke a sense of fear and exclusion among those who are “different.” The banner had the same purpose. In the context of this incident, the Basta Foundation issued an appeal to the Minister of Sports and Tourism, who coordinates efforts to counteract negative phenomena in sports, to look into the matter to determine potential legal responsibility.

However, it is unclear whether legal consequences can be enforced, as despite electoral promises, a hate speech law has yet to be enacted. The full content of the appeal can be found below.

In the Henryk Wujec Civic Fund competition, “Supporting Watchdog Activities in Poland (2024 Edition),” 52 initiatives from across Poland were submitted, including 22 in Track 1. We are pleased to announce that our media monitoring proposal, “Media Free from Hate,” has qualified for support in the watchdog competition.