Bishop Roman Pindel of Bielsko-Żywiecka Diocese escorted by police after protesters block church exits

Police escorted Bishop Roman Pindel and several priests from St. Lawrence Parish in Grojec on the evening of October 4 after protesters blocked the church and rectory exits. The unrest followed a meeting between the bishop and the parish council regarding the removal of Father Józef Zborek, who served the community for nearly 30 years.

According to a statement from the Bielsko-Żywiecka Diocese Information and Media Center, a group of people entered the church during prayer and acted aggressively by shouting, swearing, and pulling at the bishop and priests. Protesters blocked the exits, prompting the call for police intervention.

Bishop Pindel met with police negotiators and addressed the crowd outside the church. He stated that the decision to remove the former pastor is final and noted that only the priest involved can provide the specific reasons for the decision.