Police were forced to use water cannons and rubber bullets on protesting Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa miners on Monday.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the JSW headquarters despite the sub-zero temperatures on Monday in an indefinite strike where unions are asking for the resignation of company head Jarosław Zagórowski.
After burning tires and being litigious with riot police who gathered on the scene, twelve people were injured when police were forced to fire rubber bullets into the crowd.
Andrzej Gąska, a spokesperson for the police said that none of those shot at sustained any serious injuries.
“We appeal to the people who are gathered there to abide the law. Attacking police officers and destroying property is hardly a form of protest – it is simply a crime,” Gąska added.
By 4. p.m. Monday, police had arrested four individuals.
JSW workers started a strike on Wednesday calling for Zagórowski to step down.
Deputy head of the Solidarity trade union at JSW, Sławomir Brudziński said that miners did not want to strike, but were forced to due to the “shameful actions of the board and its chairman Jarosław Zagórowski in particular”.
