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Ban on carrying weapons imposed in Warsaw due to Biden’s visit — police

According to Sylwester Marczak, due to Biden’s visit, the police commander in chief decided to deploy additional law enforcement forces to Warsaw

Warsaw Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Warsaw

© Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images

WARSAW, February 20. /TASS/. The Polish Ministry of the Interior and Administration has decided to impose a ban on carrying weapons because of US President Joe Biden’s visit to the republic, Warsaw police spokesman Sylwester Marczak said at a briefing on Monday.

"From February 20 until February 22, the carrying of weapons is prohibited, including for those who have them legally," he said, stressing that "this is for security reasons."

According to Marczak, due to Biden’s visit, the police commander in chief decided to deploy additional law enforcement forces to Warsaw. The spokesman warned that residents of the Polish capital should prepare for difficulties that may arise from the US leader’s travel around the city.

According to the Polish authorities, Biden will arrive at Warsaw airport on February 21 at 08:30 a.m. local time (10:30 a.m. Moscow Time). Once at the airport, he will head to the Marriott Hotel, where US leaders usually stay during their visits to Warsaw. For all movements of presidential motorcade, streets are planned to be blocked off.

Biden is scheduled to meet Polish leader Andrzej Duda in the afternoon, and to deliver a speech in the evening on the grounds of the Royal Castle in Warsaw’s historic center. On Wednesday, Biden is scheduled to meet the leaders of Bucharest Nine (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia), as well as NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the staff of the US Embassy in Warsaw.

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