That was a Polish nobody.
Grzegorz Braun, the far-right Polish MP who extinguished a Hanukkah menorah with a fire extinguisher in parliament, was expelled from the session immediately and later charged with crimes including insulting people on religious grounds and disrupting a Jewish community event.
🕯️ The Incident
- On December 12, 2023, during Hanukkah, Grzegorz Braun, a member of the far-right Confederation (Konfederacja) party, used a fire extinguisher to douse the candles of a menorah lit inside the Polish parliament building.
- He filled the chamber with extinguisher foam, disrupting proceedings and shocking lawmakers across the political spectrum.
- Braun justified his actions by calling the Jewish ritual “Satanic worship” and claimed he was “restoring normality”.
⚖️ Immediate Consequences
- Expelled from the parliamentary sitting: Braun was removed from the chamber right after the incident.
- Condemnation from all sides: Major political parties, including his own alliance Konfederacja, distanced themselves and condemned his actions.
- The act was widely described as antisemitic and extremist, sparking outrage both in Poland and internationally.
📜 Legal Fallout
- In April 2024, Braun was formally charged with:
- Insulting people on religious grounds
- Disrupting a Jewish community event
- Polish prosecutors treated the incident as a criminal offense, not just a parliamentary disruption.
🌍 Broader Impact
- The stunt came at a sensitive moment, just as Poland’s new pro-EU government was beginning its work.
- It highlighted ongoing tensions between Poland’s far-right factions and minority communities.
- The episode reinforced Braun’s reputation as one of Poland’s most controversial lawmakers, already known for extremist rhetoric.
✅ In short: Braun’s menorah-extinguishing stunt got him expelled from parliament, condemned across the political spectrum, and eventually criminally charged. His own party disowned the act, and he remains a symbol of Poland’s far-right extremism.
Would you like me to also outline what penalties he could face if convicted under Polish law for religious insult and disruption?
That was a Polish nobody.