Anti-immigrant protests surged across multiple towns and cities in Poland on Saturday, predominantly organized by the far-right political faction, Konfederacja, alongside another nationalist group. While many rallies saw several hundred attendees, the most significant event in Katowice attracted an estimated 3,000 participants. Politicians from both Konfederacja and the ruling party, Law and Justice, have recently intensified rhetoric concerning a purported influx of illegal immigrants, although official statistics do not corroborate these claims.
Krzysztof Bosak, co-chairman of Konfederacja, addressed demonstrators in Bialystok, flagging that failing to implement stringent immigration policies could lead to deteriorating security. In light of their concerns, some rallies held a minute's silence for a 24-year-old Polish woman who lost her life in Torun, with authorities later arresting a Venezuelan suspect related to the case.
In Warsaw, counter-protests occurred in close proximity to the anti-immigrant gatherings, yet reports indicated no violence during these events. Although migration levels in Poland have risen over the past decade, current data suggests a decline in immigrant numbers this year compared to earlier periods. Earlier in the month, Poland began implementing border checks with Germany and Lithuania after Berlin instituted measures to turn away asylum seekers. Notably, a suspension of the asylum application process was recently enacted for migrants arriving from Belarus.
