Thousands protest in Poland after controversial Supreme Court bill passed

Tens of thousands of Poles have protested after lawmakers in the lower house passed a law handing control of the country's Supreme Court to politicians. The bill still has to pass the upper house.

Crowds of demonstrators took to the streets of the Polish capital, Warsaw, on Thursday evening after lawmakers in the lower house of parliament voted through a controversial reform of the Supreme Court proposed by the ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS).

Organizers said some 50,000 people participated in protests outside the presidential palace, although police spoke of 14,000. The demonstrators called on President Andrzej Duda to veto the legislation, which gives the government more influence on the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court.

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