Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia, was the site of historical first Pride Parade for the rights of LGBTQ individuals on May 22, 2010. The event was marred by violent clashes with members of the far-right extremist group, the Slovak Solidarity, who threw stones and tear gas grenades at the participants of the parade. Many of the LGBTQ individuals suffered injuries in these confrontations. The march, which began at Hviezdoslav Square in the city center, had to be rerouted to the other side...
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
On November 11th, 2012, Poland celebrated its Independence Day, but the celebrations were overshadowed by a controversial march known as the Marsz Niepodleglosci (March of Independence). The march was organized by far-right groups, and it attracted thousands of participants, many of whom espoused nationalist and anti-Semitic views. The march began peacefully, with participants carrying Polish flags and chanting slogans in support of their country. However, as the march progressed, tensions...
LGBTIQA+, Slovakia
V97: After the fire in the building of the cultural center Stanica Žilina Záriečie
On September 15, 2019, a fire broke out in the iconic Stanica Žilina-Záriečie, a renowned cultural center located in the Záriečie district of Žilina, Slovakia. Known for its innovative programming and contributions to the cultural landscape, the venue suffered significant damage, leaving the local community and Slovakia’s cultural scene in mourning. Incident Overview The fire started in the early hours of the morning, engulfing parts of the building and causing extensive damage to the...
Czech republic, Racism
V61: March of far-rights (Polish and Czech hooligans) against Roma people in Ostrava
During the summer of 2013, the Czech Republic saw a wave of far-right rallies against the Roma people. These rallies were sparked by a violent incident at a swimming pool in the town of Dubí, where a group of Roma individuals allegedly attacked a non-Roma woman who had confronted a young Roma boy for splashing water. The incident was widely reported in the media and quickly became a topic of debate in Czech society. On June 24th, 2013, anti-Roma demonstrators gathered in several cities across...
On September 9, 2021, members of Młodzieżowy Strajk Klimatyczny (Youth Climate Strike) staged an occupy protest in front of the Ministry of Climate and Environment in Warsaw. The demonstration demanded urgent government action to address the climate crisis. Protesters gathered with banners reading “Nie ma planety B” (There is no Planet B) and “Działajcie teraz!” (Act Now!), calling for an end to subsidies for fossil fuels, a clear plan to reduce emissions, and a...
On July 10, 2017, Warsaw’s Krakowskie Przedmieście once again became the site of parallel gatherings marking the 87th monthly commemoration of the 2010 Smolensk air crash. The official ceremony, attended by government representatives and families of the victims, was accompanied by a counter-demonstration organized by the civic movement Obywatele RP (Citizens of Poland). Among those who joined the protest was former Solidarity activist Władysław Frasyniuk. While government supporters marched...
In late 2013 and early 2014, anti-government protests known as EuroMaidan began in Ukraine, triggered by President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision to abandon closer ties with the European Union in favor of Russia. In December 2013, Russia offered Yanukovych a $15 billion bailout and a 33 percent discount on imported natural gas. The protests turned deadly on January 22, 2014, when at least three protesters were killed by gunshot during a police assault on the crowd, and more than 300 were...
On October 13th, 2018, Lublin, a city in eastern Poland, held its first-ever LGBTQ+ Pride parade. The event, organized by Lublin Equality Parade, was intended to promote tolerance and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community and celebrate diversity. Despite the parade being a peaceful demonstration, it was met with hostility from anti-LGBTQ+ protesters. An estimated 200 counter-demonstrators showed up to disrupt the celebrations, throwing bottles, bricks, and stones, as well as lighting flames at the...
On November 10, 2024, the monthly Smolensk remembrance ceremony once again took place in Warsaw. Attention focused on the controversial stairs erected near the Smolensk monument, which activists described as illegal and a symbol of political manipulation. The activists reminded that the stairs were built without proper authorization from the City of Warsaw and remain subject to a court order for removal. They declared that dismantling the structure would mark “the end of the Smolensk lie,”...
On April 11, 2016, the far-right National Radical Camp (Obóz Narodowo-Radykalny, ONR) organized a street demonstration in Warsaw against the presence of immigrants in Poland. The protest took place during the height of the European refugee crisis, a period when nationalist groups across the continent sought to mobilize public fears about migration and cultural change. Led by figures such as Robert Bąkiewicz, ONR activists marched with white-and-red flags, nationalist insignia, and banners...
On 30 April 2025, several hundred people gathered in front of the Slovak National Theatre (SND) in Bratislava for the protest Netreba nám Netrebko (“We Don’t Need Netrebko”), organised by the platform Otvorená kultúra! (Open Culture!). The demonstration took place shortly before a gala concert by Russian soprano Anna Netrebko and expressed opposition to the theatre’s decision to invite an artist whose past relationship with Vladimir Putin and support for pro-Russian separatists had generated...
Berlin Wedding, Germany, 30th April 2012 7,000 police officers were deployed on Monday and Tuesday to keep the demonstrations under control. Traditionally, the violent “anticapitalist Walpurgis Night demo” has passed through Friedrichshain and Prenzlauer Berg. This time, it was unexpectedly relocated to the Sprengelkiez and Brüsseler Kiez in Wedding, an area between the Wedding S-Bahn station, the northern shore of the Berlin-Spandauer Shipping Canal, and See- and Müllerstraße. This...