Poles take to streets in 22 cities to protest hate crimes against Ukrainians
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Demonstrators in over 20 cities across Poland rallied on Aug. 9 to oppose the growing violence against Ukrainians and other minorities, the Polish outlet RMF 24 reported.
The demonstrations come amid a surge in physical and verbal assaults against Ukrainians in Poland in recent months, fueled by a crisis in diplomatic relations between the neighboring countries.
Protesters gathered in the evening of Aug. 9 in 22 cities, including Warsaw, Krakow, Lublin, and Wroclaw, to show solidarity with victims of discrimination. The campaign was organized by Poland's Committee for the Defense of Democracy, an NGO promoting civil society and human rights.
The movement is part of a broader aim to oppose violence against minorities based on nationality, language, or appearance, the organizers said.
Participants in the Aug. 9 demonstrations received stickers with the slogan "Don't Be Indifferent," which they were encouraged to place on stores, businesses, or other establishments to signal that Ukranians would be safe and welcome.
The protests came shortly after a similar demonstration in Warsaw on Aug. 7. During that rally, titled "My Poland Doesn’t Hit, Insult, or Incite," organizers submitted a petition signed by over 11,000 people to the government. The petition demands action against discrimination, including attacks against Ukrainians.
One of the inciting incidents behind these demonstrations was a brutal assault against a Ukrainian couple in Wroclaw on July 26. Three assailants beat a 20-year-old Ukrainian woman and her partner, a 21-year-old Ukrainian man. Police said they believed the victims were targeted because of their nationality.
Polish police received 180 reports of hate crimes against Ukrainians in the first half of 2026, an increase of over 30% compared to the same period last year, according to the Rzeczpospolita newspaper. The statistic dovetails with polls showing that a majority of Poles hold increasingly negative views toward Ukraine and no longer support welcoming Ukrainian refugees.
Animosity towards Ukraine has risen due to deteriorating relations between Kyiv and Warsaw. The most recent crisis began when Ukraine named one of its military units after the World War II-era Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).
While UPA is seen in Ukraine as an anti-Soviet movement, the controversial group is known in Poland for participating in the Volyn massacres — the mass killing of Poles in what is today western Ukraine.
