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...
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
Ukrainian forces mobilized near Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, where separatists had seized government buildings. Despite the tense atmosphere and likelihood of conflict, the mood in eastern Ukraine remained defiant. Sloviansk, a small industrial town near the Russian border, transformed into a potential battleground. Armed pro-Russia activists occupied a police station and were prepared to face Ukrainian forces. The situation escalated as machine-gun fire was heard and Ukrainian forces clashed with...
On June 9, 2012, Bratislava celebrated its third annual Dúhový (Rainbow) Pride parade. Members of the international community expressed their moral and practical support for the parade organizers and participants. The event aimed to raise awareness of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in the Slovak Republic and promote their human rights. As citizens of the European Union, the LGBT community in Slovakia enjoys legal guarantees under the Charter of Fundamental Rights...
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 May 1st, Berlin’s Kreuzberg neighborhood became the scene of traditional leftist May Day demonstrations, with thousands of people taking to the streets to protest against social inequality, low wages, and further social cuts. Despite the peaceful nature of the earlier rallies, the situation escalated later in the day, with clashes between protesters and police officers. The police responded with pepper spray, water cannons, and arrests, and more than 7,000 police officers were deployed...
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 June 22, 2013, supporters of the radical Workers’ Party of Social Justice (DSSS) gathered at the Légií Square on the outskirts of the Roma quarter in Duchcov, Czech Republic. Shortly after the DSSS leader’s speech, the protesters clashed with police when they attempted to break through a police cordon to reach a group of Roma residents. At the same time, the civil association Konexie organized a public gathering called “Čikhatar het/Z bahna von” to support the Duchcov...
LGBTIQA+, Slovakia
V91: Protest of Matica Slovenská against the poster of the P.O. Hviezdoslav Theater
On September 6, 2023, Matica slovenská, a cultural institution dedicated to preserving Slovak heritage, organized a protest outside the P. O. Hviezdoslav Theater (DPOH) in Bratislava. The demonstration arose from outrage over a promotional poster created for the theater’s 2023/2024 season, which featured controversial imagery deemed disrespectful to Slovak national identity and cultural heritage. The Poster That Sparked the Controversy The promotional artwork depicted a group of young...
On 17 May 2014, hundreds of people gathered in central Warsaw for the “Marsz Szmat” (Slut Walk), a public demonstration against sexual violence, victim-blaming, and the social stigma faced by survivors of assault. The march began near the Polish Parliament and moved through the city centre, filling the streets with chants and banners demanding respect for women’s rights and bodily autonomy. Participants carried placards declaring that the responsibility for sexual assault always lies with the...
On November 11th, 2014, Poland celebrated its Independence Day, but the day was marred by violence during the Marsz Niepodleglosci (March of Independence) organized by far-right groups. Tens of thousands of participants marched through the streets of Warsaw to mark the anniversary of Polish independence, but a group of several hundred masked men broke away from the main march and threw stones and flares at lines of riot police. The police responded by using water cannons and rubber bullets to...
The match between Poland and Russia was a highly anticipated event during the Euro 2012 tournament. The two countries have a long and complicated history, with tensions between them dating back centuries. This history, coupled with the presence of violent fans on both sides, made the match a potential security risk. The authorities in Warsaw were well aware of the risks posed by the match and had taken measures to ensure the safety of fans and residents. Nearly 6,000 police officers were...
The Polish-Belarus border has become a focal point of a burgeoning humanitarian crisis, drawing global attention as refugees find themselves trapped in a perilous situation. What started as a political standoff between the European Union (EU) and Belarus has evolved into a dire situation at the border, with vulnerable individuals bearing the brunt of the escalating tensions. The crisis began in 2021 when Belarus, under President Alexander Lukashenko, allegedly encouraged refugees, to cross into...