Polish Beekeepers March on Warsaw With Dead Bees
On March 15, 2012, more than 1,500 beekeepers and anti-GMO activists marched through the streets of Warsaw, Poland, culminating in the dramatic act of depositing thousands of dead bees on the steps of the Ministry of Agriculture. The protest targeted genetically modified crops and their associated pesticides, which researchers had increasingly linked to the mass die-off of bees, butterflies, moths, and other essential pollinators.
Poland’s Agriculture Minister Responds With Ban Announcement
The demonstration produced immediate political results. Later that same day, Agriculture Minister Marek Sawicki announced plans to ban Monsanto’s MON810 genetically modified corn — a crop variety that had already been associated with the emergence of millions of hectares of pesticide-resistant superweeds in the United States. The protesters demanded not only the MON810 ban but a complete prohibition on all genetically engineered crops and the pesticides identified as most harmful to pollinator populations.
A Coalition of Beekeepers and Environmental Groups
The Polish Beekeepers Association organized the march in partnership with the International Coalition to Protect the Polish Countryside (ICPPC) and the Coalition for a GMO Free Poland. Beekeepers marched in full work gear, operating hive smokers as they walked. Many wore yellow jackets bearing the famous Einstein quote about bees and human survival, while others carried handmade signs and wore elaborate costumes to draw attention to the cause.
Poland’s History of GMO Resistance
Poland’s parliament had already banned GM feed — including both the planting and importing of GM crops — back in 2008. However, the European Commission refused to accept regional GMO bans, keeping Polish farmers and activists in a constant battle with EU agricultural policy. The ICPPC pointed out that nine other EU member nations had already prohibited MON810 without seeking EU permission, suggesting Poland could follow the same path.
The coalition called on Polish citizens to write directly to Minister Sawicki demanding an immediate moratorium on all genetically modified crops, without waiting for EU authorization.
