Protest at Chancellery of the Prime Minister: Organizers Present Seven Demands Against Xenophobia

Participants gathered outside the Chancellery of the Prime Minister in Warsaw to deliver a petition featuring seven key demands aimed at combating the rising wave of xenophobia and anti-Ukrainian aggression in Poland.

Demonstration Against Hate and Violence

Participants of the gathering held in front of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister brought white flowers symbolizing solidarity, purity of intent, and historical resistance to violence. These flowers were placed under specially prepared boards forming the so-called brown map of Poland, which displayed the names of localities and descriptions of recent incidents and attacks across the country, mostly directed against Ukrainian citizens. The gathered individuals emphasized that the action was a response to the rapidly growing wave of hate and aggression toward the Ukrainian community.

Petition to the Ministry of Interior and Administration and the Chancellery

Justyna Grabowska, president of the Asymmetry Foundation, which organized the action alongside Citizens of RP and Akcja Demokracja, told PAP that they submitted a petition to the receiving office of the Ministry of Interior and Administration and the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, appealing for decisive action against xenophobic attacks as well as verbal and physical aggression. She stressed that gathering over 11,000 signatures in a short time is a clear signal that a significant part of society does not accept the growing radicalism.

Seven Demands for Protection and Rights

The authors of the petition presented seven main demands referring to constitutional guarantees for the protection of rights and freedoms: more effective prosecution of hate crimes; a firm halt to the activities of so-called self-appointed patrols; implementation of a government program to counteract xenophobia and disinformation; the need to introduce systemic legal and psychological support for victims of assaults; periodic training for police officers and services; regular publication of statistical data concerning hate speech; and legislative changes expanding protection against discrimination in the Criminal Code.

Minister of Justice Establishes a Special Team

Minister of Justice Waldemar Żurek informed that an element of combating prejudice is prosecutorial specialization in the field of prejudice-motivated crimes. The National Prosecutor’s Office created a group of investigators operating nationwide who, while handling other cases as well, will deal with such situations. Since the establishment of the specialization, over 250 prosecutors, judges, and assistants, as well as over 600 police officers and more than 200 Border Guard officers, have been trained. Prosecutors have sent 258 prejudice-motivated crime cases to courts.

The Need for State Information and Education

Grabowska assessed that the problem lies in the passivity of state institutions and the susceptibility to extreme rhetoric by some politicians. She noted that the problem is permissiveness and that the state must react firmly while also informing and educating, pointing out that many myths have arisen around refugees from Ukraine and recalling that Ukrainians working in Poland contribute over 15 billion PLN annually to the state budget, which constitutes a huge contribution to development.

The Role of Public Pressure and Law Enforcement

Other participants of the demonstration also pointed to the importance of social pressure and presence on the streets. Ihor, holding a Ukrainian flag, told PAP that people standing with boards showing the attack locations are becoming part of real change, and the swift reaction of law enforcement in recent cases shows that social pressure makes sense, while Rafał and Joanna emphasized the need for solidarity, rejecting exclusion, and supporting the vulnerable.

Context of Recent Incidents in Poland

Friday’s action in front of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister is another recent social initiative responding to the growth of anti-Ukrainian and anti-immigrant sentiments, following events like the one on Castle Square in Warsaw. The protests are a direct reaction to a series of brutal incidents in recent weeks across Poland, including the beating of a Ukrainian couple in Wrocław, an assault with a baseball bat in Gliwice, and the insult of Ukrainian children on a bus in Bielsko-Biała, alongside research reports indicating a sharp rise in hate speech on Polish social media in May and June 2026.