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...
On August 7, 2010, around 100 supporters of the People’s Party – Our Slovakia gathered at Hodžovo Square in Bratislava to participate in the “National Pilgrimage to the Statue of King Svätopluk.” The participants marched from the meeting point through Palisády towards Bratislava Castle, where the statue of Svätopluk is located. According to the march organizer, Marián Mišún, the pilgrimage is intended to honor history and the symbol of Slovakia – the double cross and Svätopluk...
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...
On April 29, 2017, the far-right nationalist group Obóz Narodowo-Radykalny (ONR, or National Radical Camp) held a controversial march in Warsaw, Poland. The event marked the anniversary of the ONR’s founding in the 1930s, an era when the group was known for its xenophobic, anti-Semitic, and ultra-nationalist agenda. The march was met with widespread criticism from human rights organizations, left-wing activists, and civic groups. Opponents accused the ONR of promoting hate speech and extremist...
On May 13, 2024, the Pink Whale cultural center, an iconic floating venue on the Danube River in Bratislava, fell victim to a devastating act of arson. Known for its inclusive ethos and role as a hub for progressive and LGBTQ+ cultural activities, the deliberate attack has been widely perceived as an assault on open culture and the values it represents. The Pink Whale has long been a symbol of Bratislava’s commitment to cultural diversity and inclusivity. The venue frequently hosted...
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...
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. Following the official part of the protest, the...
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 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...
Tens of thousands of nationalists marched in a demonstration organized by far-right groups in Warsaw on November 11th, 2017, as Poles celebrated their country’s Independence Day. The far-right march has become one of the largest such demonstrations in Europe, overshadowing official state observances and other patriotic events. Participants carried banners depicting a far-right symbol dating to the 1930s and expressed sympathy for xenophobic or white supremacist ideas. Speakers spoke of...
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 treatment of its inhabitants. With limited access...