Thousands Join Far-Right March on Polish Independence Day
TimeNov 25, 2022
The Facts
Tens of thousands of people in Poland, including families with children, marched on Friday through Warsaw's city center under the slogan "Strong Nation, Great Poland" to mark the 104th anniversary of Poland regaining its independence.
Robert Bąkiewicz, the primary organizer of the event, stated that it gathered nearly 100K people, with Warsaw city hall not providing an estimate but claiming there were "fewer people than in previous years" when attendance sometimes exceeded 100K.
The Spin
Right narrative
This march is a popular procession organized bottom-up to celebrate the creation of an independent Polish state in the aftermath of World War I. The Independence March has been a major act of national belonging for the entire Polish nation regardless of individual identities.
Left narrative
This march is the product of three fascist, far-right groups, and the Polish national-conservative government has supported it by barring any attempts to outlaw it. Worse than that, the march organizers have always blamed provocateurs when their own participants cause violence — including once setting an apartment on fire for displaying an LGBTQ+ flag.
