OMM Newsroom
Thousands of people gathered in central Warsaw on Wednesday for Poland’s annual far-right-led Independence Day march, days after a mass shooting in Krakow killed six people, Anadolu Agency reported.
Participants carried Polish flags as additional police officers were deployed to secure the demonstration. Organizers expected a record turnout for the march, which has long been a source of tension between right-wing groups and Poland’s governing centrists.
The gathering took place amid heightened political tensions after Saturday’s shooting, which led authorities to review security arrangements for Independence Day events.
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said initial findings indicated that the attacker held “very radical views” and was fascinated by far-right ideologies.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged restraint, saying that despite political differences, independence, freedom and national security remained shared values.
“We have condemned political attacks linked to this tragedy – regardless of whether they came from the right or the left,” Rafal Buca, a spokesman for the march organizers, told “The Independent”.
The march has faced criticism over nationalist and anti-immigration rhetoric. Supporters describe it as a patriotic gathering that also attracts families.
Poland marks Independence Day on Nov. 11, commemorating the restoration of its sovereignty in 1918, at the end of World War I.
