Polish opposition rallies to condemn attack on LGBT march Poland's opposition left-wing parties have staged a rally against violence in the eastern city of Bialystok where a LGBT rights march was attacked last week by far-right groups

WARSAW, Poland -- Poland's opposition left-wing parties have staged a rally against violence in the eastern city of Bialystok where a LGBT rights march was attacked last week by far-right groups.

Hundreds attended the downtown rally Sunday, many carrying rainbow and European Union flags.

Left-wing leaders who addressed the crowd criticized Poland's right-wing ruling party of having tolerated aggression against the LGBT community ever since it won power in 2015. The issuer is gaining new prominence ahead of the fall parliamentary election in predominantly Catholic Poland, where many church leaders have spoken against LGBT rights.

Government officials condemned the violence at the Bialystok march but some local ruling party activists were seen among the attackers.

Among the three parties holding the rally Sunday was the Spring party of LGBT activist Robert Biedron.