Poland defends massive far-right protest that called for a ‘White Europe’
November 13 , 2017
The official celebration of Poland’s 99th independence day went innocuously, with the usual ceremonies in the capital. There was even a visit from the European Council’s internationalist president, who insisted to Politico that Saturday’s festivities would proceed “with a smile on our face and with joy in our hearts.”
But for blocks and blocks and blocks beyond the central towers of Warsaw, a much larger crowd swelled beneath a cloud of red smoke.
Tens of thousands of people had come from across Poland and beyond, and reporters documented their signs:
“Clean Blood,” as seen by Politico.
“Pray for an Islamic Holocaust,” per CNN.
“White Europe” streaked across another banner, the Associated Press reported — as about 60,000 people chanted and marched through Warsaw in an annual gathering of Europe’s far-right movements, which have grown to dwarf the official version of Poland's independence day celebration.
By the end of the weekend, the AP reported, the official and unofficial events even seemed to be merging.
