German officials protest Polish flags placed on a bridge between Słubicach and Frankfurt an der Oder by Robert Bąkiewicz’s border defense activists.
Dispute Over Flags in Słubicach
Polish flags have been flying on the bridge between Słubicach and Frankfurt an der Oder since July 2025, placed by activists of Robert Bąkiewicz’s Border Defense Movement. “We want to show that we do not agree with mass migration, nor with the German policy of re-Germanization of western Polish lands,” Bąkiewicz told the German press agency dpa. He added that the flags had been removed by decision of the Polish road authority, but activists decided to hang them again.
Provocation
According to the German “Tagesspiegel,” Frankfurt officials perceive the actions as a “provocation.” The city hall stated that actions on the bridge connecting the German and Polish cities should be coordinated by both sides. The issue was already discussed between the authorities of Słubicach and Frankfurt an der Oder in the summer of last year. The flag issue also causes a jurisdictional dispute in Germany itself. The city claims it cannot take any action as the bridge falls under the competence of the Brandenburg state road authority. Meanwhile, the authority states it is responsible for the bridge structurally, while regarding flag placement, it only has influence on what happens on the German side of the bridge.
What is the Border Defense Movement?
Last year, activists from the Border Defense Movement began appearing in Polish cities near the German border. The reason was reports about alleged “shuttling” of migrants by German services to Poland. ROG was founded by Robert Bąkiewicz. According to the movement’s website, its goal is “to defend Poland against mass migration and associated threats.”