Reduta Dobrego Imienia (Polish League Against Defamation) published a statement by the President of this institution, Maciej Świrski, concerning coverage of the Independence March in the media. It is addressed, among others, to foreign editors. Its content is presented below.

In a peaceful march about 250 thousand people passed through the streets of Warsaw under the slogan: „For you Poland”.

People who proudly carried white and red national colours were walking in a festive atmosphere. Traditionally, there were many families with children. The march was calm and peaceful, which was noted by the police, despite the fact that, like during similar important community moments, smoke candles and flares were fired.

Unfortunately, we are observing, with anxiety and sadness, media reports and statements in social media suggesting that the March of Independence was a fascist, anti-Semitic or neo-Nazi manifestation.

These opinions harm the good name of hundreds of thousands of people - Polish patriots who wanted to demonstrate their love for their Homeland and stay united on that particular day. It is also a defamation of the Polish state, on the international arena, by using the speech of hatred towards the Polish community.

The Independence March, organized for years by a non-governmental organization, this year had a unique character due to the 100th anniversary of Poland regaining independence. Under the leadership of the President and Prime Minister, the participants showed that Poles are proud and enjoy their independence and want to demonstrate it to the whole world.

According to the law in force in Poland there is freedom of speech and freedom to express one’s views. The Independence March was not the only demonstration that took place in Warsaw on the 11th of November. The left-wing circles, among others, also organized their demonstration. None of the fascist or neo-Nazi organizations would be able to register a public assembly, because fascism and Nazism are illegal in Poland and subject to penal sanctions, and the state authorities enforce it. Courts in Poland are independent and do not register organizations of a totalitarian nature.

While reporting on the 2018 Independence March, some media decided to record the presence of flags carried by small groups of participants, which contained symbols considered „fascist”.

SEE EXAMPLE: Police: photo of Forza Nuova taken in 2017 in Italy - not during the Warsaw march

The same media failed to note the sea of white-and-red flags, which Poles decided to present to the world in a festive mood on that day. Some media went so far as to call the Polish white and red flags „fascist symbols”. Such statements, present not only in the Polish media, and reproduced uncritically in social media, indicate that we are dealing with a deep crisis in journalism, which no longer fulfills its historically shaped functions.

First of all, it is required from the journalistic profession that the facts are reported reliably. According to the PWN Polish dictionary, the word „relation” is defined as „telling by an eyewitness about the course of an event”. Reading „reports” from the course of events regarding the Independence March, both this year and from previous years, one has the impression that some journalists were not witnesses of the events, but that their reports are second hand information, or even mere lies written according to a thesis defined in advance by their editorial offices. The authors of such texts have given up journalistic reliability in favour of an ideology according to which attachment to one’s Homeland and its history, respect for tradition and its symbols, and finally religion – are considered as something wrong and have no place in a globalised and homogeneous world.

The existence of Polish patriots is a fact, and we would like to remind those who write about the history of Poland that during World War II it was Poland which suffered the greatest percentage of losses from Nazi Germans. One in five Polish citizens died at the hands of the Nazis. So how is it possible for 250,000 Nazis to be present in Poland when every Polish family lost someone at the hands of the Nazis? Such accusations contradict logic and are used to create the image of Poles as Nazis and anti-Semites. Isn’t this being done in order to undermine confidence in Poland when it is gaining a secure position on the basis of NATO’s alliance and expanding its defence system in the face of the aggressive policy of a neighbouring superpower?

The traumatic experiences of the Second World War, as well as the Soviet occupation, caused that totalitarian ideologies of the twentieth century, i.e. Nazism, fascism and communism, are widely condemned and have no place in public life in Poland.

The 2018 Independence March was one of the forms of celebrating one of the most important events in the history of Poland. Poles are proud of the fact that they can commemorate generations of their compatriots who were not so lucky to live in a free Homeland. Among the participants of the march were those who remember well the times of communism, when celebrating the anniversary of 11 November was not only strictly forbidden, but even threatened with arrest. Only since 1989 it has been a patriotic ceremony in which Poles can openly demonstrate their pride in being Poles regardless of their views. To attribute „Nazism” or „fascism” to Polish patriots is simply an act of media intimidation, so that Polish symbols and Polish patriots are not present in the public space.

We Poles know that freedom is not „given to us, but entrusted to us” and we enjoy independence more and more year by year. For centuries our ancestors proved that Poles are determined to defend their identity, freedom and existence regardless of the costs they are supposed to bear. Not so long ago it was the Polish „Solidarity” that won freedom from the Soviet invaders for itself and other nations of Europe. And the word ‘freedom’ is precisely the key to understanding what we are dealing with: Poles exercise their freedom by demonstrating their attachment to patriotic values; they exercise their freedom of expression in a democratic state which is a common value for all Poles, regardless of the views. The media campaign against the participants of the Independence March is an attempt to force Poles to give up their freedom of expression - and this is done by those who still have the word freedom on their lips.

We call on the media writing about the Independence Day march to stop using hate speech towards Poland and Poles and to treat the public trust profession of journalism fairly! Imposing a false and distorted image of reality in the name of ideological blindness, which destroys pluralistic societies, cannot be allowed. This leads to enslavement. Poles have proved more than once that they are ready to make the highest sacrifices in defence of freedom, and the media campaign only confirms us in this.

Maciej Świrski, Chairman of Polish League Against Defamation - Reduta Dobrego Imienia.

Reduta Dobrego Imienia - Polish League Against Defamation initiates and supports activities aimed at correcting false information about the history of Poland, especially about the course of events during World War II, the participation of Poles, the attitude of Poles towards Jews, and about German concentration camps. Reduta Dobrego Imienia promotes knowledge about the history and culture of Poland and Polish contemporary times. It fights racism and xenophobia, especially against the citizens of the Republic of Poland.

Tłum. KJ