Poland Deploys Riot Police in Standoff Over Top Court as Legal Feud Escalates

Poland has deployed riot police amid a tense standoff over control of the country’s top court, as a long-running legal feud between the current government and the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party escalates. The immediate trigger was a decision by judges backed by the ruling coalition to suspend the chief justice, a move that PiS supporters have denounced as illegal. The confrontation reflects deeper divisions over judicial independence and the rule of law in Poland, which have persisted since PiS lost power in 2023. The suspension of the chief justice is the latest flashpoint in a broader struggle over the Constitutional Tribunal, whose legitimacy has been questioned by both sides. Riot police were called to maintain order as rival groups of judges and their supporters gathered outside the court building in Warsaw. The standoff has drawn international attention, with European Union officials warning that the dispute could further strain Poland’s relations with Brussels over democratic standards. The government has defended the suspension as necessary to restore the court’s credibility, while the opposition accuses it of a power grab. As the crisis deepens, the risk of prolonged institutional paralysis grows, with potential consequences for Poland’s political stability and its standing in the EU.