ADVERTISEMENT

Polish leaders condemn 'xenophobia' after huge far-right march

Having started small in 2009, the annual event attracted a large following this year, with police estimating the crowd on Saturday in Warsaw at around 60,000.

While many marchers denied membership of or sympathy for extreme right groups, the event also drew representatives of far-right parties from Britain, Hungary, Italy and Slovakia, among others.

Dramatic images of the event showed some marchers holding banners saying "Pure blood" and "Europe will be white", while others chanted "Pure Poland, white Poland" and "Refugees get out".

Poland's conservative President Andrzej Duda insisted Monday that "there is no place or consent in our country for xenophobia, there is no place in our country for sick nationalism, there is no place in our country for anti-Semitism."

ADVERTISEMENT

The American Jewish Congress on Monday urged the "Polish government to expressly oppose the hatred fueled by the Polish extreme right."

The AJC added that the march "was used to promote the slogans of white supremacists and neo-Nazi rhetoric."

Duda was echoed by the powerful leader of Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, widely regarded as Poland's defacto powerbroker.

Kaczynski called the far-right slogans at Saturday's march "extremely bad, completely unacceptable", but insisted they were "very marginal" incidents.

"The Polish tradition that we identify with has nothing to do with anti-Semitism, we are far from it, and have nothing to do with racism, nothing to do with xenophobia," Kaczynski said.

ADVERTISEMENT

He also said the racist slogans could have been a "provocation" by "those who want to harm Poland", without specifying who he had in mind.

The PiS leader himself campaigned on a staunchly anti-refugee platform in 2015, claiming that refugees were bringing "cholera to the Greek islands, dysentery to Vienna, various types of parasites" -- comments that critics at the time slammed as racist.

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng

Recommended articles

You make bold decisions & live with consequences - Ondo Gov hails Tinubu at 72

You make bold decisions & live with consequences - Ondo Gov hails Tinubu at 72

170 electrical vandalism cases in 2 years, 100 charged to court - EEDC

170 electrical vandalism cases in 2 years, 100 charged to court - EEDC

Tinubu appoints Bello as chairman of code of conduct bureau

Tinubu appoints Bello as chairman of code of conduct bureau

Don't curse, condemn Nigeria in your sermons - Tinubu tells clerics

Don't curse, condemn Nigeria in your sermons - Tinubu tells clerics

Lagos postpones eagerly anticipated Easter boat regatta indefinitely

Lagos postpones eagerly anticipated Easter boat regatta indefinitely

Third Mainland Bridge reopens in 1 week, formal ceremony later - Minister

Third Mainland Bridge reopens in 1 week, formal ceremony later - Minister

Sanwo-Olu opens 'Sunday market' on Good Friday for Easter shopping

Sanwo-Olu opens 'Sunday market' on Good Friday for Easter shopping

Wike thanks Tinubu for the opportunity to serve

Wike thanks Tinubu for the opportunity to serve

Barrister Bida pens special birthday prayer for President Tinubu, Nigerians

Barrister Bida pens special birthday prayer for President Tinubu, Nigerians

Pulse Sports

Nigeria vs Mali: Has Finidi George done enough to land Super Eagles job permanently?

Nigeria vs Mali: Has Finidi George done enough to land Super Eagles job permanently?

I want to emulate Keshi and win the AFCON - Finidi George shares ambitious Super Eagles dream

I want to emulate Keshi and win the AFCON - Finidi George shares ambitious Super Eagles dream

Michelle Alozie: I had to do it because of African referees

Michelle Alozie: I had to do it because of African referees

AC Milan star reveals he was named after Super Eagles legend Tijani Babangida

AC Milan star reveals he was named after Super Eagles legend Tijani Babangida

Give him the job! Super Eagles fans beg NFF to make Finidi George permanent coach after Nigeria's win over Ghana

Give him the job! Super Eagles fans beg NFF to make Finidi George permanent coach after Nigeria's win over Ghana

Super Eagles 2-1 Black Stars: Nigerians praise Iwobi, Lookman, Finidi George after friendly victory against Ghana

Super Eagles 2-1 Black Stars: Nigerians praise Iwobi, Lookman, Finidi George after friendly victory against Ghana

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT