Citizens have power – what can and should citizens do in a democratic state governed by the rule of law?

Spis treści

Instruction

Duration:
45 / 90 minutes

Suggestion:
Upper secondary school students

You are the facilitator of this lesson. You know your group best and understand how to conduct the class most effectively. This lesson is only a suggestion – we encourage you to expand, modify, or deliver it in a different format!

Objectives

The student knows the legal foundations of freedom of assembly in Poland and the European Union and understands their significance for the functioning of a democratic society.
The student can explain the rules for organizing and participating in assemblies and identify the rights and responsibilities of both the organizer and the participant.
The student recognizes historical and contemporary examples of assemblies that have influenced social or political change.
The student can develop and present principles for safe and responsible participation in an assembly.
The student understands the role of freedom of assembly in a democratic state.

WARM-UP

Activity:

At the beginning, you can play a VIDEO for the students.

You can ask the students:
Have you ever been a witness to or a participant in a public assembly
What kind of event was it
Why do people organize demonstrations
What risks may be associated with limiting this freedom?

KOWLEDGE ZONE

Text-based analysis

Divide the class into small groups (3–6 students). Each group receives a short excerpt from one of the following texts:

Constitution of the Republic of Poland (Art. 57)
European Convention on Human Rights (Art. 11)Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (Art. 12)
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Art. 21)

Group task:

Read the excerpt of the legal act and answer the following questions:

What does this text say about freedom of assembly?
What are the conditions for exercising this freedom?
Can the state limit this right? When and why?

After discussing the provisions on freedom of assembly, it is worth pausing on one particular situation: what if citizens want to express their views immediately, without time to formally notify a demonstration?

This is a spontaneous assembly, which is characterized by:

Not being notified in advance,
Taking place in response to a sudden, important event (e.g., a court decision, an accident, a political speech),
Being peaceful, meaning it does not incite violence, hatred, or pose a threat to others.

Although they are not formally notified, spontaneous assemblies can be legal if:

The lack of notification is due to the urgency of the situation, not deliberate disregard of the law,
They do not pose a threat to safety or public order.

You can also present an example of a spontaneous assembly addressed by the European Court of Human Rights (case: Bukta v. Hungary).

In Budapest, a group of people spontaneously gathered to protest the visit of the Romanian Prime Minister. The demonstration was peaceful, but the police dispersed it because it had not been notified in advance.

The Court found this to be a violation of citizens’ rights, because the authorities were aware that such a demonstration could occur and had the ability to secure it. Instead, they applied excessively harsh measures.

The Court emphasized: “In a democratic society, authorities have an obligation to tolerate spontaneous, peaceful assemblies, even if they have not been formally notified.”

At the end of this section, you can ask:

In your opinion, should spontaneous assemblies be protected in the same way as planned ones?
How can we distinguish between “spontaneous” and “illegal” assemblies?
What should the state do when citizens gather without notification, but peacefully

INSPIRATION

Examples of assemblies that changed reality

Teacher’s instructions:

Present or ask students to provide examples of assemblies that had an impact on society or politics, for example:

Task:

Each group chooses one example and answers:

What was the purpose of the assembly
What were its outcomes?
What might have happened if freedom of assembly did not exist?

EXERCISE

„Agreement Map”

Teacher’s instructions:

The teacher creates a symbolic line in the classroom (e.g., using masking tape, string, or an imagined line across the middle of the room) representing a spectrum of opinions from “fully agree” to “strongly disagree.” This activity can also be done outdoors, on the school playground or nearby park.
The teacher reads each statement aloud. After each statement, students position themselves along the line – closer to one end or the other depending on how much they agree.

Example statements:

Everyone should have the right to organize assemblies—regardless of their opinions.
Assemblies that may trigger strong emotions should be banned.
Assemblies near schools, courts, or churches are inappropriate.
Freedom of assembly is more important than the comfort of bystanders.
The police should be able to disperse assemblies if they cause social tension.
Assemblies that disrupt the daily lives of residents are irresponsible.
Everyone should participate at least once in a legal assembly.
True freedom of assembly ends where hate speech begins.
The state should be able to deny an assembly without giving a reason if there are concerns.
The media should not cover controversial assemblies—it only gives them publicity.

After each round, the teacher asks a few students from different points along the line to briefly explain: “Why did you stand here?”

No grading – focus on diversity of opinions and justification.

REFLECTIONS AND SUMMARY

Questions for the class:

Why is freedom of assembly important in a democracy?
How can you exercise it responsibly?

Materials to hand out or display:

Card: Legal basis for freedom of assembly

Constitution of the Republic of Poland, Art. 57:

“Everyone shall be guaranteed the freedom to organize peaceful assemblies and to participate in them.”

Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, Art. 12:

“Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association at all levels, in particular in the political, trade union, and civic fields.”

European Convention on Human Rights, Art. 11:

“Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly.”

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Art. 21:

“The right to peaceful assembly is recognized. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those imposed in accordance with the law and necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national or public security, public order, protection of health or morals, or the rights and freedoms of others.”