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More than 200,000 people are estimated to have taken part in a controversial independence-day march through central Warsaw on Sunday, after a last-minute agreement between senior politicians and the event's far-right organizers.
The March of Independence, organized by nationalist and far-right groups and held annually in the Polish capital on the 11th of November to commemorate the anniversary of the re-establishment of the country's independence in 1918, has grown dramatically in scale over the past decade, attracting activists from across Europe.
Last year's event, which attracted an estimated 60,000 people, received international condemnation for the presence of racist and xenophobic banners and slogans and violence directed at counterprotesters.
There was widespread concern in that country would overshadow official commemorations of the centenary of the country's rebirth as an independent state at the end of the first world war. Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, editor-in-chief of Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, commented on the issue of "aggressive nationalism".
Hours after Gronkiewicz-Waltz's announcement Andrzej Duda, Poland's rightwing president, announced the Polish state would be organizing its own market at the same time and along the same road as the nationalist market. But it was unclear what would happen on the day of the day.
More than 200,000 people are estimated to have taken part in a controversial independence-day march through central Warsaw on Sunday. Photograph: Getty
That led to frantic negotiations between the Polish authorities and nationalist organizations, resulting in an agreement in which participants in the state-sanctioned section of the event would march first, followed closely by participants in the nationalist market, separated by a cordon of military police .
Lions in parallel columns, Polish soldiers standing side-by-side with members of the National-Radical Camp (ONR), the successor to a pre-war Polish fascist movement, and representatives of Forza Nuova, an Italian neo-fascist movement, They were addressed by Duda at the inauguration march.
"I want to walk under our white-and-red banners together and in an air of joy. To give honor to those who fought for Poland, and to be glad that it is free, sovereign and independent, "Duda said, before leading the crowd in songs of" glory and praise to the heroes "and a rendition of the national anthem.
Dwarfing previous iterations of the market in terms of size, this year's event appeared to be a feature of the past few years, and it has been noted that these and other media outlets have reported instances of racist chanting.
The far-right All-Polish Youth, co-host of the march, posted a video of an EU flag being set on the march, as some people chanted "down with the European Union."
Poland's political divisions were also on display, as a rule of thumb under "Constitution". Some threw fireworks, making obscene gestures and labeling their opponents prostitutes and communists.
Many of those marching sought to distance themselves from any controversy, saying they would like to celebrate their country's independence.
"I just want to celebrate the 100th anniversary. To see all these Polish flags, it's a beautiful view. I am not involved in politics, I am not involved in the war between politicians, "said Piotr, a biotechnologist from Krakow who was attending the march for the first time. "The atmosphere is very good – except for a couple of groups whose slogans are not OK."
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