A married couple have been charged with possession of "explosive devices" at the II Equality March in Lublin. The husband is said to have prepared the devices at home, whereas the wife of bringing it to the march in a backpack. An expert witness confirmed that if used, the devices could have endangered life and health of many people. The couple from Lublin have been detained for three months.

The II Equality March went through the streets of Lublin on September 28. The demonstration was blocked by anti-LGBT protesters. The police detained 38 counterprotesters on that day. In the following days, the prosecutor's office carried out routine proceedings with 33 of detained.

Home-made devices

Among the detained there were two people who had brought dangerous materials to the march, hidden in a backpack.

"These people have been charged with possession, jointly and in concert, of home-made explosive devices, that, if used, could have posed danger to life and health of many people," prosecutor Bartosz Frąk informed on Wednesday.

He referred to a married couple from Lublin, whom the prosecutor wanted to be arrested for three months counting from the day they had been detained. A Lublin court approved of the prosecutor's request.

The police managed to detain the couple right after the march had begun. "So they had no chance to use these devices," the prosecutor added.

The detained gave their statements. According to the prosecutor, the husband prepared the devices. The wife carried them in a backpack.

Husband pleaded guilty

The prosecutor's office has already received the expert witness' opinion, who had confirmed that, if used, the materials found in the backpack would have been dangerous to life and health of many people.

"One person pleaded not guilty and stated that she had not been aware of what was in the backpack. The other admitted to constructing these deviced on his own, and to intending to use them during the II Equality March in Lublin," the prosecutor explained.

The prosecutor's office refused to reveal any more details of the inquiry. On Monday, a press officer from Lublin Metropolitan Police, Commissioner Kamil Gołębiowski, said that the devices were composed of containers filled with gas, connected to firecrackers. The married couple from Lublin are facing up to eight years in prison.

During the II Equality March in Lublin, the police detained 38 people. Most of them will answer for participating in a riot, public inciting to crime or violating personal integrity of police officers. Five people, including four minors, were released already on Saturday. Their cases have been referred to a family court. One person will answer for an offense.

The police estimated that around 1.500 people took part in the Saturday's march. The demonstrators were protected by a cordon of police officers. The manifestation was blocked by counterprotesters, against whom the police used tear gas and water cannon.