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Documentation / 2019–2024

LGBT-FREE
ZONES.

Since 2019 Polish municipalities, counties and regional assemblies have adopted 106 acts aimed at LGBT+ people, or repeating the template of the Local Government Charter of Family Rights. The authorities called them symbolic documents. This page shows where they were adopted, what happened in the courts, and where to read the facts.

Acts in total
106
Municipalities and towns
66
Counties
35
Regional assemblies
5
Provinces affected
12
Bart Staszewski przed bramą parlamentu Węgier w Budapeszcie, obok tablicy „strefa wolna od LGBT”, w otoczeniu policjantów.
An “LGBT-free zone” sign in five languages outside the Hungarian Parliament in Budapest. photo: Bence Járdány

01 / Photographs

PEOPLE,
NOT CASE NUMBERS.

The project that gave the resolutions a face. The plate was real and stood by the town-name sign at the moment the photograph was taken — no council ever put one up. The resolutions it refers to are real; they are on the map above, with dates and document types. That distinction is the whole point: the plate is a staging, what it names is not.

47 photographs. Each caption is the name read off the sign in the picture, not off the file name.

All photographs: Bart Staszewski. The people in them took part in the project of their own will; this page does not give their names.

02 / Map

WHERE THEY
WERE ADOPTED.

Each point is one local authority that adopted an act. The filters narrow both the map and the list below it. Choosing a province zooms the view — on a phone that is the only way to touch a single point without error.

Tier
Type of document
Repeal
  • declaration against “LGBT ideology”
  • Local Government Charter of Family Rights
  • own resolution
  • date of repeal unknown
  • municipality · county · assembly

Units shown: 106 z 106.

Show the full list (106)

03 / Timeline

WHAT HAPPENED
IN THE COURTS.

Three municipalities brought civil claims, the police pursued misdemeanour proceedings, and the cases Bart brought against media outlets are a separate thread. These proceedings are widely described as SLAPPs — lawsuits brought not to be won, but to exhaust the defendant.

The court record

3
lawsuits by municipalities

all dismissed at first instance; an appeal was lodged in one, its outcome unestablished

9
misdemeanour cases over the signs

at least that many, from two incomplete sets of records; no conviction, and three courts held the alleged act is not a misdemeanour at all

40,000 PLN
awarded against public broadcaster TVP

with an apology; final on 13 December 2024

106
anti-LGBT acts documented

adopted by local authorities in 12 provinces

As of 18 October 2026, from the Court Information Portal, copies of judgments and orders, and local-government records. Case numbers and dates: the timeline.

Much of this timeline was waiting to be checked — and it has been checked. Points that carry a case number come either from the case file or from the source document named in the note below the point: a court or ministry communiqué, a resolution, an archived page. Each point says where it comes from. The remaining 3 of 23 points still carry the „to be confirmed” marker: either they concern events outside the courts, or the files lack the document that would settle them.

A first-instance outcome is not the same as a final judgment, and a final judgment is not the same as its enforcement. Where the files speak of only one of those three, only that is written.

  1. 2019

    • First declaration
    • Gazeta Polska stickers
    • Court halts the stickers
    • Białowieża — won
    • EP resolution

  2. 2020

    • First photographs
    • Zakrzówek sues to be confirmed
    • Niebylec — interim order refused

  3. 2021

    • Trzebieszów — no application
    • Moszczenica — refusal to open
    • Łososina Dolna — first verdict
    • Tuchów — acquittal
    • Tuszów — acquittal
    • Lubaczów — discontinued
    • Istebna — outside the provision
    • Lipinki — discontinued
    • Niebylec — interlocutory to be confirmed

  4. 2022

    • Nine cases in all to be confirmed
    • Niebylec — dismissed

  5. 2023

    • Tuszów — dismissed

  6. 2024

    • Zakrzówek — dismissed
    • Strasbourg — ECHR ruling
    • Won against TVP
Show all 23 points with case numbers and caveats

  1. Świdnica County adopts the first declaration

    The council of Świdnica County votes for a declaration against “LGBT ideology”. A day later TVP broadcasts a report titled “Świdnica County free of LGBT” — the first use of the phrase “free of LGBT” in this context.

    A town sign reading Świdnik with a yellow plate below it: “LGBT-free zone” in Polish, English, French and Russian.
    Świdnik — fot. Bart Staszewski

    An event outside the court files, confirmed from public records. The council adopted the declaration “Świdnica County free of «LGBT» ideology” on 26 March 2019. The TVP Info report appeared on 27 March 2019 at 08:07 under the title “Świdnica County free of LGBT” — without the word “ideology”. TVP later changed that title to “free of LGBT ideology”: both versions are in the Internet Archive (tvp.info/41923829, captures of 27 March 2019 and 8 December 2020). That this was the first use of the phrase in this context follows from a review of the available captures, not from an exhaustive search of the press.

  2. “LGBT-free zone” stickers in Gazeta Polska

    Tomasz Sakiewicz, publisher of the weekly Gazeta Polska, distributes “LGBT-free zone” stickers with the magazine.

    An event outside the court files. The stickers came with issue 30/2019 of 24 July 2019; the publisher announced them on 17 July. After the court order part of the print run carried a reworded sticker — “zone free of LGBT ideology” — which the ban did not cover.

    Tekst o tym: Kto wymyślił strefy wolne od LGBT?

  3. The court halts distribution of the stickers

    The Regional Court in Warsaw partly grants an application to secure the claim concerning the stickers distributed with the weekly. The publisher’s appeal is dismissed by the Court of Appeal in Warsaw on 13 November 2019.

    IV Co 130/19 · V ACz 831/19 · SO w Warszawie · SA w Warszawie

    An interim order governs what happens while a case runs; it does not decide its outcome.

  4. Białowieża: appeal won, claim dismissed

    The Court of Appeal in Białystok amends the first-instance judgment and dismisses the personal-rights claim brought by the commander of the Forest Guard in the Białowieża Forest District over the publication of his image in a recording. Bart is awarded 737 PLN in legal costs and 1,140 PLN for the appeal.

    I ACa 258/19 · I instancja: I C 1844/17 · SA w Białymstoku · SO w Białymstoku

    Read from the judgment with reasons sent by counsel, not from the Court Information Portal. The separate misdemeanour case arising from the same events (VII W 68/18) is a different proceeding.

  5. European Parliament resolution

    The European Parliament condemns discrimination against LGBTI people in Poland and calls for the resolutions to be repealed. It comes a month before the first photographs of the signs — which undoes the claim that the EU was reacting to the photo project.

    2019/2933(RSP)

    The resolution of 18 December 2019 on public discrimination and hate speech against LGBTI people, including LGBTI-free zones. Adopted by 463 votes to 107, with 105 abstentions. The text calls on Poland to condemn the discrimination and to revoke the resolutions.

    Tekst o tym: Fakty i liczby

  6. The first photographs with the signs

    The first pictures are published: a yellow “LGBT-free zone” sign beside a town’s welcome sign, with LGBT+ people who live there standing in front of it.

    The first three photographs went up on the morning of 23 January 2020. The date follows from the dated social-media post and from press reports the same day. The signs had been ordered in August 2019.

    Tekst o tym: Zones of exclusion

  7. Zakrzówek files a lawsuit to be confirmed

    The Zakrzówek municipality announces a personal-rights claim. Three municipalities will sue in total: Zakrzówek, Niebylec and Tuszów Narodowy. They demand apologies in The New York Times, The Guardian and Charlie Hebdo.

    A town sign reading Zakrzówek beside a country road, with a yellow “LGBT-free zone” plate below it.
    Zakrzówek — fot. Bart Staszewski

    The filing of the claim on 21 September 2020 at the Regional Court in Lublin is confirmed by press reports and matches case number I C 1059/20 from the files; the claim was backed by Reduta Dobrego Imienia and the mayor was Józef Potocki. The demand for apologies in The New York Times, The Guardian and Charlie Hebdo is not confirmed — no available public source names those titles. To be checked in the petitum of the statement of claim in file I C 1059/20; until then the sentence about the three titles must not be quoted.

    Tekst o tym: Zakrzówek city prepared lawsuit against me

  8. Niebylec — application for an interim order dismissed

    The Regional Court in Rzeszów dismisses Niebylec municipality’s application for an interim order. It is the first ruling in the dispute with that municipality.

    I Co 89/20 · SO w Rzeszowie

  9. Trzebieszów — the police do not take the case to court

    The County Police Headquarters in Łuków give notice that the preliminary inquiry produced no grounds for bringing an application for punishment before a court: no data sufficiently justifying a suspicion that the act was committed. The case never reached a court.

    RSoW 1559/20 · KPP w Łukowie

    This is not a court ruling but a police decision under Article 54 §2 of the Code of Procedure in Petty Offence Cases. The charge that would have been brought: Article 85 §1 of the Code of Petty Offences. Read from the notice of 8 February 2021.

  10. Moszczenica — the court refuses to open proceedings

    The District Court in Gorlice refuses to open proceedings on an application by the County Police Headquarters in Gorlice. The charge concerned a plate under the town-name sign, an act of 7 July 2020. Ground for the refusal: the case contains no evidence whatsoever that the offence was committed.

    II W 888/20 · SR w Gorlicach

    This is one of the three cases where an earlier version of this page recorded missing documents. The document exists: a decision of 17 February 2021, Judge Ewa Pyrz, Article 59 §2 in conjunction with Article 5 §1(1) of the Code of Procedure in Petty Offence Cases. The charge: Article 97 of the Code of Petty Offences in conjunction with Article 45(1)(10) of the Road Traffic Act.

  11. Łososina Dolna — the first verdict over the signs

    The District Court in Nowy Sącz acquits. The judgment is handed down on a Friday and announced the following Wednesday. It is the first ruling in any of the cases over hanging the signs. The applications for punishment were filed by MP Krzysztof Sobolewski and the Ordo Iuris Institute.

    A town sign reading Łososina Dolna at a fork in the road, with a yellow “LGBT-free zone” plate below it.
    Łososina Dolna — fot. Bart Staszewski

    II W 986/20 · SR w Nowym Sączu

    The operative part of the judgment, missing from the index of documents, has been obtained: a judgment of 19 March 2021, District Court in Nowy Sącz, Second Criminal Division, Judge Dorota Janek. An acquittal on the charge under Article 97 of the Code of Petty Offences in conjunction with Article 45(1)(10) of the Road Traffic Act; costs borne by the State Treasury. Finality does not follow from the files that were read. Who filed the application for punishment remains unestablished — the March 2021 press named either MP Krzysztof Sobolewski or MP Arkadiusz Mularczyk; the judgment itself does not settle it.

    Tekst o tym: Relacja Barta z marca 2021

  12. Acquittal — the sign in Tuchów

    The District Court in Tarnów acquits; costs are borne by the State Treasury.

    A town sign reading Tuchów on a tree-lined road, with a yellow “LGBT-free zone” plate below it.
    Tuchów — fot. Bart Staszewski

    II W 939/21 · SR w Tarnowie

    Finality does not follow from the files that were read.

  13. Acquittal — the sign in Tuszów Narodowy

    The District Court in Mielec issues an acquittal, replacing the earlier penal order of 18 January 2021.

    A town sign reading Tuszów Nar. beside a road, with a yellow “LGBT-free zone” plate below it.
    Tuszów Narodowy — fot. Bart Staszewski

    II W 29/21 · SR w Mielcu

    Finality does not follow from the files that were read.

  14. Discontinued — the sign in Lubaczów

    The District Court in Lubaczów discontinues the proceedings. A penal order had been issued earlier in the case.

    A town sign reading Lubaczów in the morning, with a yellow “LGBT-free zone” plate below it; two people’s shadows fall across the road.
    Lubaczów — fot. Bart Staszewski

    II W 32/21 · SR w Lubaczowie

    Finality does not follow from the files that were read.

  15. Istebna — refusal to open on two grounds

    The District Court in Cieszyn refuses to open proceedings on an application by the police station in Wisła. The refusal rests on two grounds: a lack of evidence, and the fact that the alleged act does not meet the elements of an offence. The second ground goes further than an acquittal for lack of evidence — it says the provision invoked does not cover such conduct at all.

    II W 720/21 (RSOW 497/2020) · SR w Cieszynie

    A decision of 5 August 2021, Judge Łukasz Kuś, served on 6 August. The charge: Article 85 §1 of the Code of Petty Offences, an act of 3 September 2020 in Wisła on the Kubalonka pass, at the E-17a sign naming Istebna. Grounds: Article 5 §1(1) and (2) of the Code of Procedure in Petty Offence Cases. The court found that no witness had seen the plate on site, only online, and appointed an expert to assess a possible photomontage — the opinion was inconclusive.

  16. Discontinued — the sign in Lipinki

    The District Court in Gorlice discontinues proceedings opened by a penal order of 29 January 2021; costs are borne by the State Treasury.

    A town sign reading Lipinki on a road between fields, with a yellow “LGBT-free zone” plate below it.
    Lipinki — fot. Bart Staszewski

    II W 1006/20 · SR w Gorlicach

    Finality does not follow from the files that were read.

  17. Niebylec — an interlocutory ruling during the case to be confirmed

    The file of the case brought by Niebylec municipality contains an interlocutory decision of 23 June 2021. Its content is not in the material that was read.

    V Cz 203/21

    An earlier version of this page described an order to publish a statement that proceedings were pending. The files do not confirm this; the municipality’s 2020 application for an interim order was dismissed. The content of decision V Cz 203/21 cannot be established from outside sources — interlocutory rulings do not reach public case-law databases or the press. Where to look: request a copy of the decision of 23 June 2021, case number V Cz 203/21, or inspect the file of case I C 119/21 at the Regional Court in Rzeszów. Until its subject is known, the point should not be described as anything other than an interlocutory ruling of undetermined content.

    Tekst o tym: SLAPP trial starts this week

  18. The sign cases: nine, no conviction to be confirmed

    Nine misdemeanour cases over the signs are known. Eight have documents: three ended in acquittal (Łososina Dolna, Tuchów, Tuszów Narodowy), two were discontinued by a court (Lubaczów, Lipinki), in two the court refused to open proceedings (Moszczenica, Istebna), and in one the police did not take the case to court (Trzebieszów). None of those eight produced a conviction. The ninth — Staszów — remains without documents.

    Nine is the number of cases that are KNOWN — not proof that there were no others. An earlier version of this page said seven, because that was the number of records in the first set of files; Bart stated there had been more and supplied documents, from which two further cases emerged (Istebna, Trzebieszów) and in a third (Moszczenica) the missing document was found. Until it is known whether the set is closed, this point carries no confirmation. Documents for the Staszów case are missing — that is the one gap that is known about.

  19. Niebylec — claim dismissed

    The Regional Court in Rzeszów dismisses the claim brought by Niebylec municipality and orders each party to bear its own costs. An interlocutory appeal was dismissed on 5 August 2022.

    A town sign reading Niebylec at dusk, with a yellow “LGBT-free zone” plate below it.
    Niebylec — fot. Bart Staszewski

    I C 119/21 · I ACz 128/22 · SO w Rzeszowie · SA w Rzeszowie

    A dismissed interlocutory appeal is not the same as a decided appeal on the merits. The finality of the judgment needs confirmation.

  20. Tuszów Narodowy — claim dismissed

    The Regional Court in Tarnobrzeg dismisses the claim brought by Tuszów Narodowy municipality and awards 737 PLN in costs.

    I C 762/20 · SO w Tarnobrzegu

    This is the only one of the three municipal cases in which the file shows an appeal — lodged on 19 January 2024. The case number and outcome of the second instance are unknown, so the case must not be described as closed.

  21. Zakrzówek — claim dismissed

    The Regional Court in Lublin dismisses the claim brought by Zakrzówek municipality and awards 737 PLN in costs. An interlocutory appeal was dismissed on 22 July 2024.

    I C 1059/20 · I ACz 1036/24 · SO w Lublinie · SA w Lublinie

    An earlier version of this page gave the date as 28 March 2024. The files indicate 23 April.

  22. Strasbourg: detention during a protest at the Port of Gdańsk

    The European Court of Human Rights rules on the detention of participants in a Greenpeace protest at the Port of Gdańsk in 2019, finding violations of Article 5 §§ 1 and 2 and Article 10 of the Convention. According to counsel the judgment became final on 20 September 2024 and Bart was awarded EUR 2,000 in compensation.

    25344/20 i 17 innych skarg · skarga Bartosza Staszewskiego: 29786/20 · Europejski Trybunał Praw Człowieka

    The date of the judgment, the application numbers and the scope of the violations come from the Polish Ministry of Justice communiqué on the judgment of 20 June 2024 in Friedrich and Others v. Poland. There were eighteen applicants: sixteen Greenpeace activists and two journalists. The Court awarded between EUR 2,000 and EUR 4,000 depending on the applicant — the communiqué gives no individual figures, so the EUR 2,000 for Bart rests on counsel. The complaint under Article 5 § 4 was rejected as manifestly ill-founded. The date on which the judgment became final (20 September 2024) matches the three-month period under Article 44 § 2 of the Convention, but likewise does not follow from the communiqué. The EUR 3,239.64 in costs concerns all the applicants together.

  23. Win against TVP: an apology and 40,000 PLN

    The Regional Court in Warsaw orders Telewizja Polska to apologise and awards 40,000 PLN, dismissing the claim in its remaining part. The Portal records finality on 13 December 2024. By a decision of 20 January 2025, 8,186.20 PLN in costs was awarded.

    II C 605/23 · SO w Warszawie

    Publication of the apology and payment do not follow from the files — a judgment states an obligation, not its performance.

Context the timeline does not read without

  • to be confirmed Adam Bodnar has spoken and written about SLAPPs both as Commissioner for Human Rights and later, and SLAPPs against LGBT+ activists were raised at his meetings with those organisations. No public source, however, has him calling these particular cases a textbook example of a SLAPP. Until the interview or statement it comes from is found, the sentence must not be quoted as his words.
  • The European Parliament resolution of 18 December 2019 on public discrimination and hate speech against LGBTI people, including LGBTI-free zones (2019/2933(RSP)), condemned the discrimination and called for the resolutions to be revoked. It was adopted by 463 votes to 107, with 105 abstentions, five weeks before the first photographs of the signs on 23 January 2020 — which undoes the claim that the EU was reacting to the photo project.
  • In an interview for Lithuanian broadcaster LRT on 20 October 2021 President Andrzej Duda denied that LGBT-free zones had ever existed and blamed “one LGBT activist, very radical and very aggressive” for an internet campaign that falsified reality. He gave no name; the media identified Bart Staszewski. At a press conference on 28 September 2020, answering the open letter of ambassadors of 50 countries, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called the signs a “deep fake”. Fact-checkers noted that the term was used incorrectly: no deepfake technology was involved.
  • to be confirmed None of the rulings in the files is a judgment against Bart: the municipal claims were dismissed and the misdemeanour cases ended in acquittals or were discontinued. An appeal was lodged in one municipal case, its outcome unestablished, and three misdemeanour records lack documents.

04 / Further reading

WHERE TO
READ MORE.

Bart’s own writing and press material already on this site, arranged so that a journalist or researcher reaches the source in one step. The descriptions summarise those texts — there are no new claims here.

Start here

Two texts answering the questions that come up most often: what these acts are, and where their name came from.

What it cost

The resolutions were meant to be symbolic. Two texts on what happened to the money.

How the world covered it

Pieces by foreign newsrooms, reproduced here in full with their publication dates.

The proceedings and their context

Texts written while the cases were running, useful when reading the timeline above.

More