Cross in front of the Presidential Palace, Warsaw

The cross was controversial, provoking debate in Polish society and media about the issues of separation of church and state, politics, religion and patriotism.

The cross was erected spontaneously by a group of Polish Scouts on 15 April 2010, five days after the plane accident.

[1] Among those killed in the crash was Polish President Lech Kaczyński of the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party.

[1][2] Soon after the presidential election, in July 2010, the new Polish president, Bronisław Komorowski, from the more centrist Civic Platform (PO) party, requested that the cross be moved to nearby St. Anne's Church.

[3] The move was supported by the Scouts who erected the cross in the first place and the archbishop of Warsaw, but criticized by certain groups, as the issue gained notoriety in the Polish media.

[1] On 16 September 2010, the cross was moved to a chapel in the Presidential Palace, this time without a prior announcement, as the government did not want to give the defenders movement an opportunity to prepare for their action.

An analysis by the National Broadcasting Council revealed that Polish stations devoted a significant amount of time to coverage of the related events.

The cross, 23 July 2010, in front of the Presidential Palace.
The cross, 10 September 2010, visible in the background. In front, the barricade wall decorated by the "defenders" movement.