Thousands protest anti-Ukrainian violence in 22 Polish cities

Thousands of people rallied in 22 Polish cities on Sunday to condemn violence and attacks against Ukrainian refugees. The protests occurred amid rising tensions between Warsaw and Kyiv, fueled by recent incidents and historical disputes.

Under the slogan "Don't be indifferent," demonstrations began after 5 p.m. local time in most cities. The national campaign, organized by the Committee for the Defense of Democracy, aims to counter increasing verbal and physical assaults targeting individuals based on their origin, language, or appearance, according to TVP World.

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Don't be indifferent

Organizers submitted a petition signed by over 11,000 people to the Prime Minister's Chancellery and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, urging authorities to take firm action against attacks on Ukrainian citizens. Polish police data indicates a growing problem, with 180 hate crime reports filed by Ukrainian citizens in the first half of 2026, a more than 30% increase compared to the same period last year. These incidents include physical assaults and insults motivated by nationality.

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Poland does not beat, insult, or incite.

Recent events have drawn significant attention, such as a July incident in Wrocław where a Ukrainian couple was beaten. In Warsaw, police arrested five Polish youths, aged 15 to 18, after they violently assaulted three Ukrainian teenagers. In another case in Poznan, a Ukrainian boy was insulted on a tram, and a 60-year-old Pole who intervened to defend him was also beaten. Police later arrested two suspects.

Poland hosts nearly one million Ukrainian refugees, making it the EU country with the second-largest Ukrainian refugee population after Germany. The rise in anti-Ukrainian incidents has become a sensitive issue in Polish politics and society. Tensions are further amplified by certain politicians' statements. For instance, MEP Tobiasz Bochenowski suggested that if the Law and Justice (PiS) party returned to power, Ukrainian men of military age not legally employed in Poland should be deported. The Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs labeled such remarks as populism.

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my country does not beat, insult, or incite.

Concurrently, relations between Warsaw and Kyiv have been strained by a new dispute over history. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision to name a military unit "UPA Heroes" has become a point of contention.

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Ukraine's military men of conscription age who are not legally employed in Poland should be deported.