The 1982 demonstrations in Poland refers to anti-government street demonstrations organized by underground Solidarity to commemorate the second anniversary of the Gdańsk Agreement. The bloodiest protest occurred in southwestern Poland, in the town of Lubin, on August 31, 1982. The Lubin demonstration resulted in three protesters killed by Communist services, and an unknown number of wounded. On the same day, rallies and demonstrations took place in several cities across the country. According to Solidarity sources, there were four more victims—in Wrocław, Gdańsk, Nowa Huta, and Toruń. According to official government sources, there were demonstrations in 66 cities.
Background
On December 13, 1981, the Communist government of Poland under general Wojciech Jaruzelski crushed the opposition, introducing martial law. The main oppositional movement, Solidarity, was delegalized, and its key members were interned. However, by April 1982, Solidarity re-emerged, creating its underground body, the Temporary Coordinating Committee (known as TKK from the Polish name Tymczasowa Komisja Koordynacyjna), with delegates who had eluded arrests – Zbigniew Bujak from Warsaw, Bogdan Lis from Gdańsk, Władysław Frasyniuk from Wrocław, and Władysław Hardek from Kraków. At the beginning, the Committee opposed street demonstrations, drawing the so-called "Five times yes" appeal, which stipulated negotiations with the government and release of all political prisoners. However, when the program was rejected, the Committee changed its stance, announcing the "Five times no" appeal, and urging the nation to participate in demonstrations on August 31, 1982, the second anniversary of the Gdańsk Agreement.
The August 31 street protests were organized by all regional underground structures of Solidarity. In Lower Silesia, the main oppositional bodies were Regional Strike Committee, and Fighting Solidarity. In Legnica Voivodeship, there also were such organizations, as Interfactory Strike Committee, and Interfactory Coordinating Committee. The demonstrations were regarded as very important for the future of the opposition movements, as activists hoped that they would become a turning point, forcing the government to change its policy.
The government was aware of these plans, and initiated a massive propaganda campaign, aimed at reducing the number of demonstrators. Special posters were printed and distributed, and on August 25, general Czesław Kiszczak spoke on TV, warning against "possible tragic consequences". His threats were barely concealed: "If the provocateurs have not had enough of their lessons, we will provide them with some more". In factories across the nation, party activists warned the workers, telling them not to demonstrate.
However, the most important part of the action was carried out by the security services. In the last days of August, its agents detained hundreds of people, and confiscated several underground printing shops. On August 28, during a teleconference, general Czesław Kiszczak told police commanders of the voivodeships: "The victory must be ours. We have to use a tough rule of action: be quick and determined". Members of the Politburo of the Polish United Workers' Party sometimes used an exaggerated tone, while describing the plans of Solidarity. On August 26, during a meeting with party activists in Szczecin, said: "The plans of the extremists are the following: public gatherings, a general strike, and, if necessary, an uprising aimed at overthrowing the social system. I accuse Solidarity leaders of political stupidity, leading to crimes against the state and the nation".
On August 27, Zbigniew Bujak, one of the Solidarity leaders who had eluded arrest, published a statement, in which he urged the nation to participate in rallies and demonstrations on the second anniversary of the Gdańsk Agreement. Two days later, general Jaruzelski warned people to keep away from protests. On the next day, units of riot police armed with water cannons were deployed on the streets of Warsaw and other main cities of the country. Citizens were warned that the government would not hesitate to use force. Polish news agency PAP issued a statement, which said: "The martial law decree makes the forces of law and order absolutely responsible for ensuring public order. In order to fulfill this duty, the agencies of law and order may use means of direct compulsion and in special cases they can be aided by units of the armed forces".