Poland protests against ACTA

More than 10,000 people have taken to Poland's streets to protest the signing of an international treaty activists say amounts to internet censorship, the BBC reports.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk says his government will on Thursday sign the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement.

The treaty, known as Acta, aims to establish international standards to enforce intellectual property rights.

But critics say it could curb freedom of expression, and government websites have been hacked in protest.

Several marches took place in cities across the nation on Wednesday, says the BBC's Adam Easton in Warsaw.

Crowds of mostly young people held banners with slogans such as "no to censorship" and "a free internet".

The agreement has so far been signed by the US, Australia, Canada, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea. Poland is expected to sign it in Tokyo on Thursday.