Hundreds protest across multiple cities in Poland over immigration

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in central Warsaw on Saturday for an anti-immigration rally, demanding Poland close its borders with neighboring Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus, and Slovakia.

Protesters waved Polish flags and chanted anti-immigrant slogans with some banners reading 'Stop the immigrant invasion' and 'No immigration'.

It was reported that a total of 100 public gatherings took place across the country, including Krakow, Poznan, Wroclaw and Bialystok, as well as the capital.

'Criminal influx'

Przemyslaw Wipler, a Member of Parliament representing the Confederation Liberty and Independence party, was one of those speakers and criticized the EU's 2024 Pact on Migration and Asylum, warning of a 'criminal' influx of migrants.

"We protest against the helplessness and weakness demonstrated by the government in recent years, and against the misguided policies pursued by the current government's predecessors," Wipler said.

"We don't need asylum, we need a European deportation policy. We need the implementation of the Fortress Europe, Fortress Poland plan. We need a real plan to defend our borders, and we will consistently implement this plan."

The rally formed part of a coordinated nationwide campaign organized by the Confederation Party and the National Movement under the slogan 'Stop Immigration!'

Krzysztof Bosak, one of Confederation party's leaders, said on X: "Enough of the years-long policy of 'let everyone in, and who they are will be determined later'. Polish women and men have the right to be concerned about the level of security in their own homeland."

Counter-protests

Close to this demonstration was a counter-protest organized by the group United Against Racism (Zjednoczeni Przeciw Rasizmowi). 

They carried Polish Socialist Party (PPS) flags and banners with slogans such as 'Fascism is not patriotism' and 'Stop penalizing aid to migrants'.

One demonstrator said: "People have the right to look for a better place to live."

The protests come amid rising political tensions over migration policy in Poland. 

Earlier in July, Poland's government reintroduced temporary checks at 52 crossings along the German border and 13 with Lithuania, citing concerns Germany was sending asylum seekers across the frontier; an allegation Berlin has denied.

The measures came into effect on July 7 and are expected to remain in place for 30 days.

On Friday, Poland and five other EU countries, agreed a set of targets for tightening asylum rules. In the meeting hosted by Germany's interior minister, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz admitted he was "pleased that Poland is carrying out border controls."