The Juliusz Słowacki Theater in Krakow, Poland, relocated its Ukrainian flag from the building's exterior to inside the venue after facing mounting physical threats, according to the theater's Facebook page.
Director Krzysztof Głuchowski announced the decision with what he described as "great sorrow," citing safety considerations for staff.
"I am doing this with pain and shame, but in the face of increasing attacks on the theater, in the face of threats to punish us, in the interests of staff safety, their health and lives, and in the face of potential threats to destroy property, I cannot make any other decision," Głuchowski stated.
The flag had been displayed on the theater's facade since February 2022 as a symbol of Polish solidarity with Ukraine. Głuchowski explained that the flag represented support for Ukrainians "who are giving their blood and lives in the fight for freedom and independence and who are also fighting and dying for us and all of free Europe."
The theater has now positioned the Ukrainian flag alongside the Polish flag in the building's interior. Głuchowski characterized the demands to remove the Ukrainian flag as "an attack on freedom and solidarity," though he did not identify the specific sources of the threats.
The decision follows a recent incident in which a supporter of far-right Polish deputy Grzegorz Braun physically removed the Ukrainian flag from the Juliusz Słowacki theater. The same individual allegedly threatened the theater director while demanding the flag's removal.
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