In the summer of 2015, the area surrounding Budapest’s Keleti Railway Station became an unexpected and harrowing epicenter of the European refugee crisis. Thousands of refugees, primarily from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, found themselves stranded at Keleti Station Square, transforming the area into a makeshift camp and a vivid illustration of the human toll of war and displacement. As the number of refugees arriving in Budapest surged, the Hungarian government decided to suspend all...
The New Nationalism at the Heart of Europe is a large photo and video-art project, in which Tomáš Rafa maps the public manifestations of nationalism, extreme right, racism and lack of tolerance in different countries. Since 2009, the artist documents meetings of radical and revolutionary groups, but also the anti-government and anti-extremist demonstrations, marches and supporting events for the rights of the minorities or clashes of anti-Fascists with supporters of ultra right movements. read more
Germany/Austria, Refugees
V33: “Refugees Are Welcome Here” Demonstration for Solidarity and Human Dignity in Berlin
On 21 June 2015, thousands of people gathered in the centre of Berlin to mark World Refugee Day with a peaceful march under the slogan “Refugees Are Welcome Here.” The demonstration began in the multicultural district of Kreuzberg and continued toward the Brandenburg Gate, filling the streets with banners, music, and messages of support for people fleeing war, violence, and poverty. Participants called for open borders, the protection of human rights, and an end to deportations. The march...
On July 20th, 2019, a Pride parade in the city of Bialystok, Poland turned violent when far-right groups clashed with LGBTQ activists. However, as the parade began, counter-protesters began to hurl insults and objects at the marchers, including rocks, bottles, and firecrackers. Some counter-protesters even attempted to break through police barriers to physically attack the parade participants. The violence continued to escalate throughout the day, with police using tear gas and water cannons to...
The Idomeni refugee camp in Greece has become an emblematic symbol of the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe. Located on the Greek-Macedonian border, the camp was initially designed to accommodate around 1,500 people but quickly became overcrowded as the influx of refugees and migrants continued. At its peak, the camp housed over 8,500 individuals, leading to dire conditions and a severe lack of resources. Life in Idomeni was marked by constant struggle and uncertainty. With limited access to...
NEW YORK, USA, 29.02.2012. A few dozen Occupy Wall Street protestors marched on the world headquarters of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. on Wednesday, a lukewarm kick off to a nationwide day of revival for the movement loosely organized around denouncing economic inequality. Police on motorcycles escorted the peaceful but loud group of about 50 protestors marching from the park outside the New York Public Library to nearby Pfizer, close to Grand Central Terminal.“Shame on Pfizer...
A pre-election rally organized by far-right politician Marián Kotleba and members of his People’s Party Our Slovakia (ĽSNS) in Žilina escalated into violence on Saturday, July 11, 2015. The event, staged under an anti-immigration banner, drew several hundred participants, including sympathizers from the extremist group VZDOR Kysuce and other regional branches of the Slovak radical right. The gathering was held in Žilina’s city center as part of a series of nationalist demonstrations that...
Legida, short for “Leipzig gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes” is a German right-wing populist movement that emerged as an offshoot of the more prominent Pegida movement. Legida, which is centered in the eastern city of Leipzig, was established in early 2015 and has been organizing weekly demonstrations since then. Like Pegida, Legida’s stated aim is to protest against what it sees as the Islamization of Germany and the perceived failure of the German government to...
Slovakia
V79: Antifa vs. March of nationalists and far right movements against refugees and Islam in Bratislava
Hundreds of people participated in a neo-Nazi demonstration and march on Saturday, 25 June 2016 in Bratislava, Slovakia. The demonstration was held “against the dictatorship of Brussels and for stopping the liquidation of Europe,” according to the organizers. There was also a concurrent assembly by those opposed to extremism. The event was attended by fewer people than last year, and some of the demonstrators were from the Czech Republic. Event was attended by approximately 500 people, but more...
On 11 November 2013, Warsaw once again witnessed the Marsz Niepodległości (Independence March), one of Europe’s largest far-right gatherings. Under the slogan Idzie nowe pokolenie! (“A new generation is coming!”), the organisers—Młodzież Wszechpolska and ONR—presented the event as the symbolic rise of a renewed nationalist youth. Tens of thousands joined the march, filling the city centre with Polish flags, flares and chants calling for national sovereignty and cultural purity. Although framed...
On March 14, 2015, the wartime Slovak Republic, an ally of Nazi Germany, was commemorated by extremist nationalist groups during the annual “For Independent Slovakia” march. In previous years, the event had witnessed violent clashes between the extremist groups and anti-fascist activists. However, this year, marking the 76th anniversary of the establishment of the Slovak state, police intervention successfully prevented clashes by diverting the nationalists to a different location...
On March 16, 2013, around 200 people gathered at SNP Square in Bratislava to block the path of far-right extremists marching to the grave of Jozef Tiso. The blockade was personally supported by the city’s mayor, Milan Ftáčnik, who led the procession waiting for the arrival of the neo-Nazis. The office announced the blockade at the mayor’s request the day before the event. Ftáčnik emphasized the importance of expressing opposition to the far-right in a lawful and peaceful manner, so...
Bronx, New York, USA, 4.2.2012. New yorkers rallied and marched in the Bronx to protest the beating of Jatiek Reed by four NYPD police officers and the murder of Rahmarley Graham by another NYPD police officer. Today was also the 13th anniversary of the NYPD murder of Amadou Diallo. On Thursday, January 26th, Jatiek Reed, 19, was beaten by Sgt. Mervin Montalban and Officers Alfonsina Delacruz, Jodi Brown and Robert Jaquez and arrested on false charges. Jatiek is now being held at Rikers Island...