Cross dedicated to Poland’s late president stays put outside palace amid protests

Protests over cross honoring late Polish leader

WARSAW, Poland — Protesters shouting “Defend the cross!” have prevented Polish officials from moving a cross erected outside the presidential palace as a makeshift memorial to the late President Lech Kaczynski.

About 20 demonstrators stood in front of the wooden cross Tuesday and pleaded with priests who were supposed to move it to St. Anne’s Church in another section of the capital. They were supported by a cheering crowd of hundreds gathered behind a police barrier.

Security officials dragged away a few protesters. But a presidential palace official, Jacek Michalowski, said “the cross will not be moved to the church today” because of the protests.