Gliwice farmer arrested after plowing new asphalt road

asphalt destruction land ownership dispute Gliwice agricultural protest property damage

A 60-year-old farmer, Józef M., has been placed in three-month preventive detention after using a tractor with a plow to destroy approximately 200 meters of newly laid asphalt on Rybacka Street in Gliwice. The man, who was caught in the act, claimed the land was his private property and that the construction work was illegal. However, municipal documentation from the Gliwice Road Authority indicates the land has been owned by the city for over 20 years.

The damage is estimated to be between 300,000 and 400,000 PLN. The suspect faces charges of destroying property of significant value, which carries a potential prison sentence of one to 10 years. The court justified the arrest by citing the severity of the potential penalty and the risk of the suspect attempting to evade justice through further illegal actions.

The incident has sparked significant debate. MEP and lawyer Janusz Wojciechowski has petitioned the Prosecutor General for the farmer's release, arguing that detention is a disproportionate measure for an elderly man involved in a long-standing land dispute. Conversely, local residents and agricultural representatives have expressed concern that such actions damage the reputation of the farming community, while neighbors described the man as a long-standing, confrontational figure regarding land boundaries.

Entities

City of Gliwice · District Prosecutor's Office in Gliwice-West · Gliwice · Gliwice Municipal Roads Authority · Janusz Wojciechowski · Józef M. · Prokuratura Rejonowa Gliwice-Zachód · Zarząd Dróg Miejskich w Gliwicach

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[○ 1 SOURCE] The prosecutor's office is supervising criminal proceedings regarding the destruction of the road surface on Rybacka Street. gliwice.policja.gov.pl
[● 3 SOURCES] A court has ordered a three-month temporary arrest for the suspect. gliwice.policja.gov.pl · innpoland.pl
[○ 1 SOURCE] The tractor used in the incident lacked mandatory third-party liability insurance. innpoland.pl
[○ 1 SOURCE] Estimated losses amount to 300,000 PLN. gliwice.policja.gov.pl
[○ 1 SOURCE] The suspect was sober at the time of his arrest. innpoland.pl
[● 2 SOURCES] A 60-year-old man admitted to destroying approximately 200 meters of new asphalt using an Ursus tractor and a plow. gliwice.policja.gov.pl · innpoland.pl
[○ 1 SOURCE] The disputed land was transferred to the municipality over 20 years ago through administrative decisions.
[● 2 SOURCES] The City of Gliwice maintains that Rybacka Street is entirely municipal property and not private land. gliwice.policja.gov.pl · innpoland.pl