Mariusz Kamiński was speaking after protesters targeted churches during six straight days of demonstrations against a court ruling which signals a tightening of the country’s abortion laws.
The authorities have reported 22 instances of protesters entering places of worship and disrupting masses, and 79 cases of the exterior walls of churches and other buildings being damaged over the weekend, officials said.
Kamiński said in a statement: "In the face of further similar acts of aggression and desecration announced by the leaders and organizers of the protests, the police, who answer to me, will take decisive action.”
Polish conservative leader Jarosław Kaczyński on Tuesday called on supporters to defend churches, warning that “attacks” by pro-abortion protesters on places of worship aim to "destroy Poland".
In a special address published on social media, Kaczyński - the head of the governing conservative Law and Justice party - warned that demonstrators taking to the streets amid an escalating COVID-19 epidemic were “bringing about a general danger, and thus committing a serious crime."
The street protests were sparked by a decision on Thursday by the country’s Constitutional Tribunal that abortion of a malformed foetus violates the constitution.
Poland on Wednesday reported a record 18,820 new coronavirus infections and a record 236 new deaths, its worst daily toll since the start of the pandemic.
(pk)
Source: IAR/PAP