A number of Polish citizens are experiencing attacks in the United Kingdom, prompting the president of Poland, Andrzej Duda, to call for the help of Church officials in the European nation.
Duda sent letters to the heads of the Church of England and the Catholic Church in Britain last week, asking them to help ensure the protection of Polish residents in the U.K., and to combat what he described as climate of "aversion and animosity."
According to The Guardian, the Polish president also appealed to church communities and local parishes for a "constructive effort" to "alleviate the adverse consequences of intolerance and xenophobia, including what appears to be a clear instance of aversion and animosity toward Poles."
Duda reached out to British Church officials after a 40-year-old Polish citizen, Arkadiusz Jóźwik, was beaten to death by teenagers in Harlow, about 30 miles north of London. Polish and British police officials are still investigating the incident. Both are exploring ways to protect the hundreds of people from Poland residing or visiting the U.K.
Aside from this incident, three other Poles have been reported to have suffered similar attacks in the same area, and there is growing concern among Polish citizens in the U.K. that these kinds of attacks will continue to escalate.
Polish foreign minister Witold Waszczykowski for his part reminded British officials that his countrymen are law-abinding and peace-loving, which means that physical attacks towards them are completely unwarranted and undeserved.
"We reminded the authorities in the United Kingdom that Poles are a group that integrates well with British society, works hard, pays taxes and deserves protection and care," Waszczykowski said, as quoted by The Guardian.
"Over the decades, the significant Polish population in the U.K. had experienced no problems, no harm. A few months ago, on the sidelines of the campaign leading up to the Brexit decision and after the referendum, incidents against Poles have begun to occur," he added.
