Sławomir Mentzen, the leader of Poland’s right-wing Confederation party, has claimed he was detained for more than three hours at a London airport after British authorities allegedly became concerned about his political views and the possibility that he might speak at a political gathering during his visit.
The incident, which quickly sparked political reactions in Poland, was described by Mentzen himself in a post published on X on Friday afternoon. According to the politician, he had travelled to London with his family for a private weekend trip when he was stopped during passport control and taken aside for further questioning.
Mentzen said officials initially assured him that the matter would be resolved quickly. However, while other passengers were reportedly processed without delay, he remained detained for several hours. At one stage, he claimed an officer informed him that he had been “flagged” by an unspecified organisation, though the official allegedly admitted he did not know the exact reason for the concern or who had raised it.
During the questioning, British officers reportedly asked Mentzen about the purpose of his visit, where he intended to stay, and whether he planned to participate in any public events or deliver speeches. Mentzen stated that one female officer appeared sceptical when he insisted he was visiting purely for private reasons with his family and had no intention of attending political meetings.
After more than three hours, the Confederation leader said his passport was returned and he was allowed to enter the country.
The politician reacted furiously to the experience, accusing the United Kingdom of suppressing political freedom. In strongly worded comments, he described Britain as a “totalitarian state” and claimed that certain political opinions are being subjected to preventive censorship. He also argued that British authorities appear more concerned about controversial political speech than broader immigration issues.
Mentzen suggested he was not surprised by the situation, pointing to previous difficulties experienced by other Polish conservative figures, including journalist and writer Rafał Ziemkiewicz and veteran politician Janusz Korwin-Mikke, both of whom have previously faced issues entering the UK.
The affair quickly drew attention from senior figures in Poland. Marcin Przydacz, head of the Presidential Bureau of International Policy, publicly defended Mentzen’s right to hold and express his views, even while acknowledging political disagreements with him.
Przydacz stated that no Polish citizen should be treated in such a manner solely because of their opinions. He announced that, within the scope of his responsibilities, he would raise concerns with the British side regarding what he described as the “disproportionate” measures taken against the Confederation leader. He added that incidents of this nature could negatively affect Britain’s image among Polish citizens.
Later, Mentzen revealed that he had also received support from Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski and Polish consul Agnieszka Fabryczewska, who reportedly promised to seek explanations from British institutions regarding the incident. Mentzen also thanked Przydacz and Deputy Minister Adam Andruszkiewicz for their involvement.
Despite the political tensions surrounding the episode, Mentzen noted positively that representatives of different political camps in Poland had united in defending the rights of a Polish citizen abroad. He argued that while politicians may fiercely disagree domestically, they should support one another when dealing with foreign authorities rather than undermine the image of their own country overseas.
British authorities have not yet publicly commented on the claims made by Mentzen or the reasons behind the airport detention.
Photo: X @SlawomirMentzen
Tomasz Modrzejewski
