▁The ▁Polish ▁Se jm ▁crisis , ▁ 1 6 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 6 — 1 2 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁was ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁political ▁st alem ate ▁in ▁Poland ' s ▁national ▁legisl ature , ▁resulting ▁from ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁limit ▁freedom ▁of ▁the ▁press ▁at ▁the ▁Se jm ▁buildings ▁in ▁Wars aw , ▁Poland . ▁ ▁The ▁attempt ▁to ▁restrict ▁press ▁access ▁to ▁Se jm ▁members ▁and ▁deliber ations ▁led ▁to ▁protest s ▁by ▁opposition - party ▁Se jm ▁members , ▁and ▁by ▁citizens ▁of ▁Poland ' s ▁major ▁cities , ▁including ▁Wars aw . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 6 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁during ▁the ▁session ▁of ▁Polish ▁parliament , ▁the ▁Se jm , ▁opposition ▁deput y ▁Mich ał ▁Sz cz er ba ▁( from ▁C iv ic ▁Platform ▁party ) ▁came ▁to ▁the ▁stage ▁with ▁the ▁card ▁which ▁read ▁"# W ol ne Media w Se jm ie " ▁( has ht ag ▁" Free ▁press ▁in ▁Se jm ") ▁and ▁attempted ▁to ▁fix ▁it ▁to ▁the ▁ro str um . ▁After ▁warnings , ▁Marsh al ▁of ▁the ▁Se jm , ▁Mare k ▁K uch ci ński , ▁ex cluded ▁him ▁from ▁debate ▁for ▁disturb ance ▁and ▁announced ▁a ▁break . ▁ ▁As ▁planned ▁before , ▁opposition ▁deput ies ▁started ▁the ▁occupation ▁of ▁the ▁pod ium ▁and ▁the ▁pl en ary ▁hall . ▁Sub sequently , ▁the ▁MP s ▁of ▁r uling ▁party , ▁Law ▁and ▁Justice , ▁moved ▁the