In Warsaw medical rescue workers from around the country have protested alongside other groups and trade unions, such as miners, steelworkers and shipyard workers.

The protest was held outside the Ministry of Health at one o'clock this afternoon, moving on to the Ministry of Commerce. The organisers of the protest, who belong to the Medical Rescuers' TU, have said that the protest is against the "wild privatisation" of healthcare centres.

The day started off with a peaceful protest outside the health ministry, only to heat up in front of the Ministry of Commerce, where bangers were thrown and a mound of tires was set alight by marauding protestors.

Head of the “August ‘80” union Bogusław Ziętek said that the government was fighting the crisis, but with the hands of the workers.

Yesterday, Wednesday, health minister Ewa Kopacz met with rescue workers from the Solidarity Trade Union (amongst others), and underlined the fact that today's competing protest from the Medical Rescuers' Trade Union is simply a political move, and today's protest is not backed by other trade unions in the sector.

***UPDATED 1655***