The Polish capital of Warsaw marked Poland’s Independence Day Saturday with a massive protest led by far-right demonstrators, who protested in favor of nationalist and white supremacist views. Approximately 60,000 people turned out for the annual demonstration, which the Associated Press reported has been taking place since 2009, albeit on a smaller scale.
In addition to far-right extremists from Poland, the event was also attended by extremists from Hungary, Slovakia and Sweden, among other countries, and the AP noted that the rally may be the world’s “biggest assembly of far-right extremists.”
“The numbers attending this year seem to be bigger and, while not everyone on the march is a far-right activist or fascist, it is undoubtedly becoming more significant and is acting as a magnet for far-right groups around the world,” Nick Lowles, who works with the United Kingdom anti-extremism group Hope Not Hate, told The Guardian. During the rally, demonstrators chanted “Pure Poland, white Poland!” and “Refugees get out!”, the Guardian reported, while attendees displayed banners with such slogans as “Pray for Islamic Holocaust” and “white Europe of brotherly nations.”
