“I did not intend to stir negative emotions,” the man says, claiming he carried the UPA flag to Ukrainian rapper Maks Korż’s Saturday concert at the National Stadium.
Apology on TikTok
A video of a man claiming he carried a UPA flag to the National Stadium for Maks Korż’s August 9 concert circulated online. Dmitrij – as he introduced himself – apologized for his poor Polish and explained that he was from Ukraine. “The country is in a terrible war, people die daily. I know hate and malice lead nowhere,” he said and assured that he had “no intention of stirring negative emotions.” He said the flag he held was a symbol of support for Ukraine. “I had nothing to do with promoting any regime. I just wanted to remind people about Russian aggression and support Ukrainian soldiers,” he added. The man apologized to those who felt offended and thanked Poles for their help.
Maks Korż’s Concert in Warsaw
Maks Korż is a Belarusian rapper who criticizes Alexander Lukashenko’s regime. On Saturday, August 9, he performed at the PGE National Stadium, marking his return after a long hiatus. According to Onet, tickets sold out in three minutes. The stadium hosted about 60,000 people. At one point, some attendees began jumping over fences and heading onto the pitch. Security staff tried to stop the teenagers but without success.
Police Statement on the Warsaw Concert Incident
On August 11, two days after the event, the Capital Police Command issued a statement emphasizing that “the response of Warsaw police to individuals breaching the stadium seating onto the pitch was immediate.” They also noted that officers had advised the concert organizer to use social media to alert those people that such behavior could lead to the concert being halted and to call them to return to their seats. “These actions had the desired effect. Attendees returned to their places; therefore the provincial governor’s representative determined there was no reason to cancel the concert,” the statement added.
