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Polish Court Halts Magazine's Distribution of "LGBT-Free Zone" Stickers

But the publication isn't giving up that easily.

A Polish court has put a stop to a conservative magazine distributing "LGBT-Free Zone" stickers with its publication.

The Warsaw District Court ordered Gazeta Polska to cease its actions pending the outcome of a case brought by LGBTQ rights activist, and co-founder of the Equality March in Lublin, Bart Staszewski, OKO.press reports.

The magazine is aligned with Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, which has been whipping up anti-LGBTQ sentiment ahead of elections.

Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images

LGBT Free Zone stickers are distributed with the latest issue of Polish conservative weekly newspaper 'Gazeta Polska'. Krakow, Poland on 24 July, 2019. The newspaper which has a circulation of around 110,000 openly supports the governing Law and Justice party (PiS). (Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The publication's editor-in-chief, Tomasz Sakiewicz, claimed in a statement that attempts to block the distribution of the stickers amounted to the "largest act of censorship in the history of the Third Polish Republic."

"This is the result of neo-Marxist ideologists working under the rainbow flag," Sakiewicz added.

"We have the right to invoke the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech for all. Let's claim our rights. We have more and more cases of censorship. They concern not only our writings, but all those who criticize LGBT ideology in any way. Even if it concerns quoting the Church's teaching or quoting Scripture. If we give in now, we may never have a free press in Poland."

The magazine changed the wording on the stickers to read "LGBT Ideology-Free Zone," and continues to give out the updated version to readers.

The attacks on queer people in the country aren't limited to rhetoric, with entire towns declaring themselves LGBTQ-free and hooligans attacking Pride parades and other community events.

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