Independence Day Riot in Warsaw, 2013

Bricks and rubber bullets flew and vehicles burned on the streets of Warsaw as Poland’s Independence Day celebrations were disrupted by violent clashes for the third year in a row.

The Russian embassy in the city was pelted with stones and firecrackers, a squat occupied by ‘anarchists’ was attacked and the iconic rainbow art installation on Plac Zbawiciela was burned.

As in previous years, the trouble centred on one of the traditional afternoon marches held by political organisations and other groups in the capital every November 11.

Eleven marches took place in the city without incident today, but the procession organised by nationalist group Młodzież Wszechpolska (All-Polish Youth) rapidly descended into running battles with riot police.

At 16:42, Warsaw city authorities withdrew permission for the march to continue, at the request of the police, citing disruptions to law and order and the endangerment of members of the public and law-enforcement officers.

Despite this order, many marchers continued on the planned route along ul. Marszałkowska, quickly meeting a barricade of over 1,000 riot police.

As of 21:00 on Monday, November 11, local media in Warsaw have reported 39 people arrested for public disorder offences and seven police officers injured.

Front-page photo: Małgorzata Gendłek / Agencja Gazeta

6 thoughts on “Independence Day Riot in Warsaw, 2013

  • November 12, 2013 at 2:22 am
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    Disgraceful and shameful behaviour. These people aren’t patriots, they are nasty, ignorant right wing Nazi scum. The government should ban ONR and MW, they promote fascism and it needs to be stamped out.

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    • November 12, 2013 at 9:00 am
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      No defence for violence, rock throwing, etc. but I wonder if you ever look around and see nasty, ignorant left wing Communist scum.

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      • November 12, 2013 at 1:58 pm
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        Actually I don’t. The SLD (remnants of the old Polish communist party) have little support in Poland these days but it is still higher than ONR, MW and NOP combined. However what you do not see in Poland are supporters of SLD taking to the streets and running riot unlike the supporters of the aforementioned fascists parties.

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  • November 12, 2013 at 10:15 pm
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    Shame for Polish youth. Perhaps they should remember their history in the West as well as the East. Russia too suffered under cruel regimes, ordinary people died in their millions all over the East Europe for many reasons. The Western powers must love the divisions still prevalent in a split Slavic world whilst Germany advances it’s interests through the EU at the expense of the East and South.

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  • November 12, 2013 at 11:35 pm
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    Good that they burned that disgusting rainbow. Sodomy needs to be kept in pathetic countries like England.

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    • November 15, 2013 at 12:21 am
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      And it is good to see that the more enlightened citizens of Warsaw have started to decorate the rainbow with flowers in a clear message to the narrow minded neanderthals who set fire to it on Monday.

      Reply

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