On April 13, 2019, the city of Gniezno, Poland’s first historical capital and symbolic “Cradle of Poland,” hosted its inaugural Equality March (Marsz Równości). The event marked a significant milestone for LGBTQ+ visibility in one of the country’s traditionally conservative regions. A Bold Move in the Cradle of Poland Organizing the Equality March in Gniezno carried immense symbolic weight. As the seat of Poland’s first Christian diocese and home to the Gniezno Cathedral, the city represents...
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
Czech republic
V78: Antifa blockade of the March of Neo fascists against refugees and Islam in Prague
On February 6, 2016, thousands of people gathered in Prague to protest against refugees and Islam. The demonstration was organized by the anti-immigrant group Block Against Islam, and was attended by far-right groups from across Europe. The protesters, many of whom carried Czech flags and banners with anti-refugee slogans, marched through the city center, stopping at the Czech government headquarters and the Ministry of the Interior to voice their opposition to the country’s immigration...
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 25 March 2025, Erik Ždiľa, a student at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava, presented his work Hymna (Anthem) in front of the Slovak National Gallery in Bratislava. The work was a sound installation in which a compressed-air compressor played the Slovak national anthem on a set of beer bottles. The work was presented in front of the Slovak National Gallery as part of the relay protest Art Will Not Be Silent! The relay protest took place in front of the Slovak National Gallery...
On July 20, 2024, Bratislava’s Námestie slobody became a vibrant hub of solidarity and resilience as thousands gathered for the 14th annual Dúhový PRIDE Bratislava. This year’s event held profound significance, serving as a poignant protest against homophobia and intolerance, especially in the wake of the tragic terrorist attack on Zámocká Street in October 2022. The 2022 attack, which claimed the lives of two young members of the LGBTQ+ community outside the Tepláreň bar, cast a...
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...
There are some issues in which, in contrast to others, most of the former SFR Yugoslavia countries are not falling behind compared to other countries of Europe. One of those issues is, of course, the new nationalism which is widespread over the whole Europe and its frequency is dependant on the country and the region in which it is manifested.As in other European post-socialist countries, right-wing politics was the most usual orientation of the new governments, which in the case of SFRY was...
On April 29, 2019, the Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic rejected a motion filed by the General Prosecutor to dissolve Marián Kotleba’s far-right political party, Ľudová strana Naše Slovensko (ĽSNS). The court ruled that the proposal did not meet the strict conditions required for such a measure, stating that the evidence failed to prove the party posed an immediate threat to the democratic order. The judges emphasized that dissolving a political party represents an extreme intervention in...
On August 29, 2009, approximately 200 Roma residents of Turzovka, a town in the Kysuce region of Slovakia, left their homes a day before a planned anti-Roma protest by the extremist organization Slovenská Pospolitosť (Slovak Brotherhood). Local residents and the town’s mayor confirmed the exodus, with some Roma unable to fit on buses to Ostrava and resorting to taxis and cars. In anticipation of the protest, dozens of police vehicles and hundreds of officers were dispatched to Turzovka. A...
On November 11th, 2016, Poland celebrated its Independence Day, but the day was marred by controversy over the Marsz Niepodleglosci (March of Independence) organized by far-right groups. The march attracted tens of thousands of participants, many of whom carried banners with slogans promoting nationalism and anti-immigrant sentiment. The march began peacefully, but as it progressed, tensions rose, and there were reports of violence and hate speech. Far-right groups clashed with counter...
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 10 September 2021, during the 137th monthly commemoration of the Smolensk air disaster, activists from Lotna Brygada Opozycji (LBO) carried out a peaceful artistic intervention on Piłsudski Square in Warsaw. Next to the Pomnik Ofiar Tragedii Smoleńskiej (Monument to the Victims of the Smolensk Tragedy), they assembled a temporary structure made of cardboard boxes, referred to as the “Cardboard Stairs.” The installation, built from around thirty-five boxes and standing four metres high...