Bishop Roman Pindel of Bielsko-Żywiecka Diocese escorted by police after protesters block church exits

Police escorted Bishop Roman Pindel and several priests out of St. Lawrence Parish in Grojec on the evening of October 4 after protesters blocked the exits of the church and rectory. The confrontation occurred during a visit by the bishop of the Bielsko-Żywiecka Diocese to meet with the parish council regarding the removal of the previous pastor, Father Józef Zborek, who served the community for nearly 30 years.

According to a statement from the Bielsko-Żywiecka Diocese Information and Media Center, a group of people entered the church during prayer and acted aggressively by shouting, swearing, and pulling at the arms of the bishop and priests. After protesters blocked the exits, police negotiators arrived to assist. Bishop Pindel spoke to the crowd outside to explain that the decision to remove the former pastor is final, though he noted that only the priest involved can disclose the specific reasons for the decision.