Responsibility for crimes of “hate speech”, as defined in art. 256 § 1 and 257 of the polish penal code – selected normative and practical problems

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The definitions of hate speech crimes in the provisions of Art. 256 § 1 and 257 of the Polish Penal Code appear to be not easy to interpret and challenging to apply. Considering the specificity of the behaviour prohibited by the regulations mentioned above, greater precision of definitions seems challenging to obtain. That raises the need for a cautious assessment of the behaviour that raises doubts. Not every act of hate speech may be considered a crime, but any suspicion of a crime must be the subject of scrupulous examination by state authorities. The passivity of state organs may be perceived as “silent consent”. Failure to react to hateful words can encourage hateful acts of physical violence.