Poland suspends chief justice of constitutional court, sparking protests

Riot police deploy around Poland’s constitutional court and President Karol Nawrocki calls off an African visit after the suspension of its chief justice in a battle between the centrist government and the nationalist right.

The government has been trying to force out the court’s judges, who were appointed by the previous right-wing government of the nationalist Law and Justice party (PiS).

Dozens of police guard the entrance to the building as followers of the now opposition PiS gathered for a demonstration over the ousting of court president Bogdan Swieczkowski.

The court’s official X social media account says there has been a “coup d’etat.”

Poland’s president, a right-wing independent, calls off a flight to Senegal for an official trip so that he can return to Warsaw.