Grzegorz Braun: Polish MP who doused Hanukkah candles loses immunity

MPs in Poland have voted to revoke a far-right politician's parliamentary immunity from prosecution, after he put out candles lit in celebration of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah last month.

Grzegorz Braun's actions sparked a global outcry.

He used a fire extinguisher to douse the candles on the menorah after a lighting ceremony in parliament, filling the room with white mist.

Mr Braun had already been fined in December over the act.

But the removal of his parliamentary immunity means he could now face criminal charges.

After extinguishing the candles, the politician described Hanukkah as "satanic" and said he was restoring "normality". He later said that "those who take part in acts of satanic worship should be ashamed".

Prosecutors say they plan to bring several charges against the MP, who is from the ultra-nationalist Confederation party, including destruction of property, insulting an object of religious worship and violation of bodily integrity.

Every party voted in favour of revoking his immunity, except the Confederation party.

"There is no reason to protect him using immunity... We know what he did and it was not acceptable," said Agnieszka Pomaska, a lawmaker from the Civic Coalition (KO).

At the time, parliament speaker Szymon Holownia called his actions "disgusting" and said "there will be no tolerance of anti-Semitism" in the assembly.

The far-right politician has gained notoriety in the past over stunts including dumping a Christmas tree decorated in the colours of the EU and Ukraine in a bin, and damaging a microphone during a talk by a Holocaust historian.

Prosecutors also want to charge him with separate incidents that happened in 2022 and 2023.