●  Discrimination in Białystok

A Belarusian woman named Polina was denied entry to a yoga studio in Białystok after she registered online for a class. When she arrived for her first session, staff told her she needed to have read an email sent to her registration address. That email stated the studio's classes were "primarily intended for Polish women" and questioned whether she spoke Polish and held Polish nationality. Polina was turned away despite fluently speaking Polish and understanding it well. Her husband called the rejection "outright discrimination," noting that other fitness centers in Białystok welcome Poles, Ukrainians, and Belarusians alike without issue.