Poland's prime minister appealed Monday for talks with the leaders of massive protests that were triggered by the tightening last month of the nation's strict abortion law and are continuing despite a resurgence of COVID-19.

Just hours before the latest round of nationwide marches began Monday, the head of the right-wing government, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, made a video appeal to protesters and opposition leaders.

"I ask you to sit down together for talks. May our disputes not be held in the streets and may they not be the cause of more infections," Morawiecki said.

Later Monday, Morawiecki met with parliament leaders, but the main opposition party Civic Coalition and leftists were absent.

Morawiecki's appeal didn't stop protesters with signs calling for abortion rights from blocking streets and traffic circles in Warsaw, Poland's capital, and other cities like Krakow, Wroclaw, Gdansk and Bialystok for the 12th straight day.