Warsaw to Host Independence March

The annual Independence March will take place in Warsaw on Monday, marking Poland’s Independence Day. It is reported by Upmp.news with reference to “Polskie Radio”.

The march will begin at Dmowski Roundabout, proceeding along Jerozolimskie Avenue, across the Poniatowski Bridge, and through Wał Miedzeszyński, Wybrzeże Szczecińskie, and Siwiec Street, concluding on the grounds near the National Stadium. The event is scheduled to run from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. under the slogan “The Power of Great Poland Is Us.”

Organized since 2011 by the Independence March Association, this year’s march faces logistical and legal hurdles, as the Mazovian Governor has twice denied the association’s request for a recurring assembly permit. Recent searches conducted by police at the association’s headquarters and the home of former leader and far-right microcelebrity Robert Bąkiewicz were part of an ongoing investigation into alleged offenses at past marches, particularly incidents during the 2018 event.

The prosecutor’s office, overseeing the investigation, is reviewing video evidence from the 2018 march, including footage of a security guard issuing a criminal threat. Investigators are also examining slogans and banners displayed during the event for potential legal violations.

The Independence March has a history of incidents, with clashes between hooligans and police in 2020, where a flare ignited an apartment on 3 Maja Avenue. In 2013, participants set fire to a guard booth at the Russian embassy, and in 2011, riots on Na Rozdrożu Square led to damage of media vehicles, including a TVN news van and vehicles from Polish Radio and Polsat.

(jh)

Source: PAP