At exactly 12:00 PM, a protest under the slogan “Stop Germany from Flooding Poland with Migrants” began in Słubice, near the border bridge. The demonstration was organized by Robert Bąkiewicz and the Roty Marszu Niepodległości (Ranks of the Independence March).
At least several hundred participants gathered at the site, including members of the Gazeta Polska Clubs. A large police presence was also observed, including, as Bąkiewicz noted, German police officers.
“We are not your enemies. Put down your batons and helmets and stand with the nation. We all face the same problems. The police know that foreigners will only bring them more work,”
Bąkiewicz appealed to the officers.
“The European Union and Germany, in cooperation with Tusk’s government, want to bring millions of culturally foreign migrants to Poland! Mass migration leads to a sharp increase in rapes, murders, and acts of terror. We cannot allow this to happen to Poland,”
the organizers wrote ahead of the event.
Clashes with the Police
At one point during the demonstration, shocking scenes unfolded. When protesters attempted to set up symbolic barricades, the police intervened. Clashes ensued, during which Adam Borowski, a member of the Warsaw Gazeta Polska Club, was injured.
The situation was quickly brought under control. “The police are not our enemy; we are on the same side,” Bąkiewicz emphasized.
“I don’t know why they wanted to stop us. They had orders from this treacherous government. Shame on this government!” said Borowski. The crowd echoed his words, chanting “Shame! Shame!”
“Polish Forces Must Protect the Borders”
Speaking with a TV Republika reporter, protest participants stressed the need for Polish authorities to take a more active role in securing the border with Germany.
“We see people walking around here every day who may have arrived in Europe via the Mediterranean. Polish forces should focus on defending and securing our border,”
said one Słubice resident.
Another man, who lives near Berlin, joined the protest to express his concerns about the situation in Poland.
“I see firsthand what life is like with migrants who do not assimilate and come only for welfare benefits. I fear this is what awaits Poland,”
he stated.
Failed Attempt to Block the Protest
Authorities attempted to block the protest. A few days before the event, Marzena Słodownik, the mayor of Słubice, refused to grant permission for the demonstration.
In a message sent to supporters, Robert Bąkiewicz declared that the protest would go ahead regardless.
“The Słubice authorities, under government orders, banned our protest. […] They prohibited a legal and entirely lawful demonstration of Poles in their own country! Their argument? That our gathering could put political pressure on the government… So now we have an official ban on dissent in Poland? You can organize marches in support of Tusk. You can hold demonstrations under the EU flag. But if Polish patriots want to say ‘no’ to mass immigration, the authorities suddenly declare it unacceptable! We appealed to the court, but legal maneuvers were used to reject our complaint on the pretext of formal errors,”
Bąkiewicz wrote.