November 11 in Warsaw is traditionally considered the most unsafe day of the year. On this day, not only people with migration experience, anti-fascists, LGBTQ+ people and other minorities who do not fit into the logic of national unity and patriotic frenzy are not safe to be on the streets, but ordinary citizens can also get caught in the crossfire. On this day, thousands of far-rightists are coming together in the capital for a 100,000-strong torchlight procession in honor of Poland’s independence. This concentration of nationalists, energized by the patriotic tone of the day, often leads to numerous acts of violence on the city’s streets. Even ordinary female participants in the march itself often say that they are afraid to be at the demonstration.
In such an atmosphere, we find it unacceptable to hide in our homes and hand the city over to the Nazis. For many years now, anarchists and anti-fascists have organised counter-demonstrations on this day. Traditionally, as in previous years, we joined such a demonstration, reminding that fascism can take many forms, but this does not change its essence. It is the policy of disguise that has led to the fact that these street hooligans have their patrons in power who make such days possible. And if in Poland this process has been launched long ago and we have to struggle with its consequences, in the Belarusian protest environment we can still prevent yesterday’s football hooligans from taking places in the opposition “democratic” structures. If we neglect it now, then in post-Lukashenka Belarus March 25 may become an analogue of Polish November 11 with the atmosphere of concentrated hatred and violence.
Let’s stop fascism together!
