Polish prosecution seeks up to eight years for MEP Grzegorz Braun

New indictment against MEP

The Polish prosecution has sent an updated indictment to court regarding Grzegorz Braun, a member of the European Parliament from a far-right party. The politician is charged with several serious crimes, including the theft and public desecration of national and European symbols, the destruction of an exhibition dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community, and the dissemination of false information.

According to the case materials, for one of the episodes, Braun faces a penalty of imprisonment for a term of six months to eight years.

Incidents involving flags

The key episodes of the case involve events concerning state symbols. In April 2025, in the city of Biała Podlaska, Braun’s associate removed the Ukrainian flag from the facade of the city administration building. The politician later stated that the man acted on his direct instruction.

A few days after this incident, Braun personally removed the European Union flag from the building of the former Ministry of Industry in Katowice. It was recorded that he threw the flag to the ground, trampled it with his feet, and wiped his shoes on it. Later, the politician burned the flag near the historic Wujek coal mine.

Polish legislation classifies such actions as the theft of flags under aggravated circumstances, which is punishable by imprisonment for a term of six months to eight years.

Damage to exhibition and statements about the Warsaw Ghetto

A separate episode concerns events in June 2025. At that time, Braun damaged an exhibition dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community, located in the building of the Polish parliament. According to investigation data, he destroyed ten information stands. Property damage carries a penalty of up to five years in prison.

The prosecution also brought charges of defamation. During presidential debates, Braun called the symbol of a commemorative campaign related to the uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto a "symbol of shame and subjugation". In the prosecution's view, these words harmed the reputation of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews and the organisers of the campaign.

Other court proceedings and medical certificate

In addition to this case, another court proceeding against the politician is already underway, related to an incident in December 2023. At that time, during a ceremony in the Polish parliament, Braun used a fire extinguisher to put out Hanukkah candles.

Recently, two court hearings in this case were cancelled due to the deputy submitting a medical certificate. However, the prosecution requested an examination of this document after the appearance of video recordings showing Braun participating in a demonstration near the Polish Constitutional Tribunal for several hours.

Political career

Grzegorz Braun has held the position of Member of the European Parliament since 2024. In the 2025 presidential elections in Poland, he came in fourth place.