The mayor of Warsaw banned religious symbols from offices on Friday. The publicly accessible spaces should be secular and neutral, said Rafal Trzaskowski. However, the regulation should not apply to schools, hospitals and nursing homes.
In detail, the internal decision stipulates that government employees may not wear religious symbols in their workplace. This includes the crucifix. However, wearing religious symbols for personal use is still permitted; examples include necklace pendants, associated tattoos or bracelets.
Public celebrations and events in the city must also take place without prayer. Excluded are the anniversaries of historical events, such as the celebration of the anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising on July 31. “We have a Holy Mass there and it will remain that way,” Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski said.
Respect for same-sex couples
Officials in Warsaw were also asked to respect same-sex couples. There is no ‘marriage for everyone’ in Poland, but it should be possible to collect papers in your partner’s name. “In the case of a transgender person whose appearance differs from gender stereotypes as indicated in official documents, address him or her by the name or pronoun he or she provides,” reads the order from the Polish capital.
The 52-year-old mayor is part of Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s liberal-conservative citizens’ coalition. He was only recently confirmed in his position. The national conservative opposition party PiS criticized the order for violating the right to freedom of religion and announced it would request an investigation. Poland is a strongly Catholic country. At the last census, 71.3 percent of people described themselves as Catholic.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
