The Röszke Horgos refugee camp, located on the Hungarian-Serbian border, has become a stark representation of the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe. As the influx of refugees and migrants continues, camps like Röszke Horgos have become a focal point for the humanitarian issues faced by those fleeing war, persecution, and poverty. Established in 2015, the Röszke Horgos camp quickly gained notoriety for its appalling living conditions and the harsh...
Author - Rafavideoart
Filmmaker, visual artist, and photographer Rafavideoart studied at the Academy of Arts in Banská Bystrica and the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. Since 2009, he has been documenting the growing nationalism and far-right groups within the Visegrád Group countries. In Slovakia, he is actively involved in transforming the segregation walls surrounding the Roma communities.
Filmár, vizuálny umelec a fotograf Rafavideoart študoval na Akadémii umení v Banskej Bystrici a na Akadémii výtvarných umení vo Varšave. Od roku 2009 dokumentuje rastúci nacionalizmus a ultrapravicové skupiny v priestore Vyšehradskej štvorky. Na Slovensku sa angažuje v pretváraní segregačných múrov ohraničujúcich rómskej komunity.
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...
On September 1, 2015, an anti-immigrant protest organized by the far-right People’s Party Our Slovakia (ĽSNS) and its leader Marian Kotleba took place in the city of Trnava. Around two hundred supporters gathered at Trojičné Square, chanting nationalist slogans and displaying anti-immigrant banners. The rally remained mostly peaceful, although one incident occurred when protesters tore a sign reading “I’m ashamed of you” from a young man’s hands...
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...
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...
On June 20, 2015, thousands of people, primarily young individuals, gathered in Bratislava to protest against the inflow of refugees into the European Union. The demonstration was the first of its kind in Slovakia since the beginning of the migration crisis and was organized under the motto “Stop Islamisation of Europe.” Ultra-right radical Marian Kotleba, a governor of one of Slovakia’s self-rule regions, addressed the crowd...
The Night Wolves, a Russian biker gang with strong ties to President Vladimir Putin, embarked on a 3,700-mile journey across Europe to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany. The group’s controversial route from Moscow to Berlin generated significant attention and led to complications with European authorities. This article examines the Night Wolves’ journey, their encounters with law enforcement, and the...
On May 1, 2015, in Brno, Czech Republic, around 1,500 to 2,000 individuals gathered to oppose a May Day procession organized by the extremist group “Dělnická mládež” (Worker Youth). The protesters blocked access routes to Malinovského Square while chanting slogans like “Náckové ven z Brna” (Nazis out of Brno). The situation escalated as the police intervened to separate the opposing groups, deploying hundreds of riot...
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...
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...