Incitement of Hatred
"March of Independence" in Poland is traditionally accompanied by xenophobic slogans. Warsaw, November 11, 2016.
Radical nationalist propaganda is the main source of hate speech in Poland. In particular, they are actively using the theme of ethnic (mainly, Roma) crime. In April 2013, during a scandal with the expulsion of Roma in Wroclaw, the CWP organized a Facebook group called “Elimination of the Gypsy Camp”, calling for it to be done on April 20 (on Adolf Hitler's birthday). However, this did not go beyond verbal appeals.
In September 2013 during the conflict between local people and a band of Roma in Andrychow more than 2,000 Internet users signed for to the requirement of “clear the city of Roma”.
On July 30, 2014, it was reported that anti-Roma tensions continue in Andrychów. At one of the meetings, extreme right movement leaders threatened to evict Roma from the town.
On March 3, 2014, nacjonalista.pl published an article stipulating that the attacks on the police officers during the Ukrainian coup d’état were carried out by the Mossad. A number of anti-Israeli demonstrations followed the Israeli operation in Gaza (Warsaw, July 14 and 15; Jaslo July 19; Koszalin, July 23; Bialystok, July 24; Wroclaw, July 26; Stalowa Wola, August 7, 2014). Demonstration in Koszalin featured Hezbollah flags . Israelis were called “child killers” ; calls for destruction of the Israeli state sounded in Wroclaw and Warsaw. In November 2015, Polish nationalists burned a scarecrow of a Jew in Wroclaw.
On May 12, 2014 nationalists held an anti-LGBT demonstration in Krakow, shouting insulting slogans . On May 24-25, nationalists in Kielce were distributing anti-EU leaflets, calling it a destroyer of national identity.
Xenophobic literature is actively published and translated in Poland. Thus, in 2013, the following books were published, among others, “Jewish supremacy” of the American anti-Semite David Duke , “Two Hundred Years Together” of A. Solzhenitsyn , priest Felix Sardis' book about the sinfulness of liberalism , the book of an American journalist M. Hoffman “Judaism Unmasked” which “proved” that modern Judaism has nothing to do with the Old Testament and Christianity is the sole “heir” of “true” Judaism , a book by an American anti-Semite, a professor of psychology at the University of California at Long Beach, Kevin Macdonald “The essence of Jewish influence”. Among the research on ethnic activity, with stories about the alleged all-powerful Jewish lobby in the United States ,”Analysis of the participation of Jews in the intellectual and political movements of the twentieth century”(the “dominance” of the Jews of Western culture ), book by an Irish priest D. Fahey “Rulers of Russia” that portrays the revolution of 1917 as a “Jewish conspiracy” , a collection of articles of the journalist Leszek Zebrovsky “Myths against Poland. Jews, Poles. Communism 1939-2012” , a collection of articles “Political soldiers. Directory of a radical nationalist” .
Nationalistic music groups include Medley, which released album “We can fight” in 2011 in honour of the anti-Soviet rebels of the 1940's . Agressiva88 band actively uses Nazi rhetoric in its work . Another nationalist music group is Gammadion .
Songs of xenophobic nature are performed by a famous singer Andrzej Kolakowski . In August, in a small town of Ostroda in Warmia and Mazury, a pro-Nazi music festival “Unity is strength” was held . There is also the “March Radio” led by T. Rydzik popular in conservative circles. The largest mass public action of the radicals is the “Independence March” on November 11, the day of the proclamation of the independence of Poland in 1918. It is organised by the “Polish Youth” and “Radical Nationalist Camp”. In 2009, it was attended by about 300 participants, and then in 2010 it had 2,000 members, and in 2011 - 20 000 participants. In 2014, the March gathered around 30 000 people, mostly aged 20 to 30 . Since 2010, the March has been accompanied by riots. Several incidents occurred during this year’s Independence March. Police detained 276 people, of which 199 have been subsequently arrested. Clashes with police resulted in 51 officers hospitalised. Many perpetrators wore Nazi symbols .
The coming to power of the "Right and Justice" party in 2015 increased the right-wing enthusiasm. 100 000 people participated in the November 11th march - a figure unprecedented for Poland. The crowd chanted: “All Poland sings with us: refugees get out!”.
In 2018, Professor Rafal Pankowski of the Never Again Association quite correctly assessed the march as follows: "The annual march on the occasion of Poland's National Independence Day (November 11) is a vivid illustration of the rapid growth of the far-right's social base as well as their extremist ideological background, rooted in the radical nationalist traditions of the 1930s. The march was jointly organized by two far-right youth groups, the National Radical Camp (Obuz Narodowo-Radykalny, ONR) and the All-Polish Youth (Młodzierz Wsiechpolska, MWP), which take their names and ideological inspiration from the radical nationalist organizations that operated before World War II. The pre-war versions of the UPR and MVP were known for their violent anti-Semitism and attacks on leftist opponents. They were obviously inspired by key features of the fascist movements active in other European countries at the time, and-though they never seized power in Poland at the state level-gained some significant support among the younger generation, especially after the economic crisis of the early and mid-1930s. It is no coincidence that modern organizations operating in the 21st century have adopted pre-war ideologies and symbols. " Originally, since 2015, the March has been supported by the new Polish authorities: President Andrzej Duda and the ruling Law and Justice party. In 2019-21. "The March was supported by the authorities in a less obvious way.
In 2020, it was held under the slogan "Our civilization, our rules" (pol. "Nasza cywilizacja, nasze zasady") It should be noted that due to COVID-19, the march was to take the form of a cavalcade. In the end, it turned into a very aggressive gathering and became one of the most dangerous mass events in many years. The police were attacked. The organizers accused the Antifa movement of an allegedly provocative act. It should be noted that neither the President of Poland, nor members of the government or the ruling party took part in the 2020 march. Moreover, the Minister of Health stated that due to the coronavirus pandemic, non-participation in the event could be considered a truly patriotic act.
Besides the march in 2018-21, however, it made sense to talk about forms of hate speech such as the Internet. It was especially active in the framework of anti-migrant campaigns, which became particularly acute in the run-up to the parliamentary elections.
