Warsaw, Poland – 1000’s are anticipated to affix a nationalistic march in Poland’s capital Warsaw on Saturday, in what organisers describe because the “largest patriotic demonstration in Europe”.
In recent times, the annual Independence March has attracted as much as 250,000 members.
However this yr, consultants and members count on a decrease turnout, amid inner splits between leaders of the rally and after the Confederation Get together, which is historically allied with the occasion, suffered a spectacular electoral defeat final month.
First organised in 2010 to commemorate Poland’s Independence Day, the march normally attracts right-wing, conservative and neo-fascist teams from throughout Europe and america.
It historically takes place towards the backdrop of racist, xenophobic and anti-liberal chants.
Saturday’s march will start at 2pm native time.
“It appears that evidently the march will probably be a lot smaller and fewer seen,” Przemyslaw Witkowski, adjunct professor at Collegium Civitas and a researcher of political extremism, instructed Al Jazeera. “There may be additionally a smaller quantity of people that signed up for the so-called March Guard – a gaggle of volunteers working, defending, and controlling the occasion.”
However on the similar time, smaller numbers may see extra “radical” and violent forces at play, he stated.
“As soon as there’s a new, extra left-wing authorities in place, we’ll face a a lot higher pressure, which we would be capable to really feel even this yr when the march nonetheless has a standing of an annual occasion,” Witkowski stated. “This determination could be reversed subsequent yr, and as soon as the march is confronted with registration points, we will certainly count on extra violence.”
This yr’s slogan, “Poland has not but perished”, refers back to the opening lyrics of the nationwide anthem, that are then {followed} by “so long as we reside”.
The track, written in 1797 when Poland was off the world’s map, was meant to boost the morale of the Polish Legions combating alongside Napoleon in Italy. It conveyed the message that regardless of missing a state of its personal, the Polish nation had endured a wrestle for independence.
Poland’s scenario couldn’t be extra totally different from the one described within the track.
Nevertheless, many on the political proper imagine that the outcomes of the latest parliamentary election, through which the coalition of the liberal Civic Platform, conservative Third Approach, and left-wing Lewica got here out as winners, will result in the gradual erosion of the nation’s independence.
Historically pro-European and advocating for stronger European integration, liberal political forces are seen with elevated suspicion by the correct together with the Confederation Get together, which was broadly anticipated to attain between 12-14 p.c of the vote. It ended up with 8.6 p.c.
“We will count on – with a excessive likelihood – a change in EU treaties, which is able to have an effect on Poland’s sovereignty and Poland’s independence within the worldwide enviornment, and particularly inside the [European Union],” Bartosz Malewski, head of the Independence March affiliation, instructed reporters in October.
“This slogan additionally expresses our place on the necessity to emphasise sovereignty and the risk to sovereignty.”
Different march members agree.
Grzegorz Cwik, from the nationalist Niklot affiliation, instructed Al Jazeera, stated he fears the “federalisation of the European Union, cuts of army spending, and dismantling of social programmes”.
To this point, the successful coalition has not constructed a authorities, however the latest election outcomes are usually not the one challenges confronted by the march organisers.
The previous head of the Independence March affiliation, Robert Bakiewicz, over time moved nearer in the direction of Regulation and Justice, the previous ruling nationalist social gathering, and was broadly seen as utilizing the occasion for his personal political beneficial properties.
Many march-goers additionally accused him of constructing the demonstration too mainstream and of combating towards radical nationalists, who actually are the occasion’s founders.
“I believe that for the previous few years, the march’s formulation was sadly extra picnic-like, and hooligans, for instance, stopped attending it,” Cwik stated.
Ultimately, a dispute between Bakiewicz and the march’s management near Confederation’s circles led to a public change of accusations and the removing of Bakiewicz from his publish.
Bakiewicz was additionally accused of retaining passwords to the Independence March’s social media accounts, successfully blocking the brand new management’s entry to well-followed fan pages.
It’s unlikely that he’ll present up on the march.