Protests against attacks on Ukrainians held in 22 Polish cities – photo

Demonstrations were held in 22 Polish cities on Sunday 9 August to protest against growing violence towards Ukrainians.

Source: European Pravda, citing RMF24

Details: The slogan for these demonstrations was "Don't be indifferent". In most cities, they began after 17:00.

Prior to this, on Friday, a demonstration was held under the slogan "My Poland does not beat people, insult or incite hatred". During the event, organisers submitted a petition to the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of the Interior and Administration. Signed by more than 11,000 people, the petition called for decisive action, including measures to tackle violent attacks on Ukrainian citizens.

The nationwide campaign is being organised by the Committee for the Defence of Democracy. The organisers said the demonstrations were a response to increasingly frequent cases of verbal and physical attacks on people targeted because of their origin, language or appearance.

The demonstrations are also intended to show solidarity with those facing violence and discrimination.

The words that became the slogan of the demonstrations were spoken by Marian Turski on 27 January 2020 during commemorations marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau.

In his speech, the former camp prisoner urged people not to tolerate the mistreatment of minorities, violations of human rights or historical falsehoods.

Background:

• In recent weeks, there has been a sharp increase in the number of attacks on Ukrainians in Poland. In the last few days, it was reported that in Kraków, a 39-year-old man who had verbally abused two Ukrainians had turned himself in at a police station and was detained.
• A few days earlier, MEP and former candidate for mayor of Warsaw Tobiasz Bocheński said that if the Law and Justice (PiS) party came to power, it would ensure that Ukrainian men of military liable age who are not legally employed in Poland were deported.
• Poland's Ministry of the Interior described such statements as populism.

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