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On May 10, members of the ZSP in Warsaw took part in a demonstration in against racism and fascism and in defense of migrants. This was a counter-demonstration against a racist anti-immigrant march in the capital.

Across the world, as the working class faces more and more pressure and austerity caused by capitalism and it's associated pathologies, we see immigrants being scapegoated and, in some cases, brutalized by repressive government policies. In Poland there is a far-right movement which is fundamentally racists and the government and all sorts of politicians are promoting racist and anti-immigrant policies. Donald Tusk, the Prime Minister that much of the Eurocracy supports, actually campaigned with highly xenophobic propaganda and one of his first priority was to try to suspend asylum rights, get out of EU obligations to accept refugees and advocate for a racist migration strategy that focuses on creating categories of undesirables, based on notions such as „compatability” with local culture and religions, etc.

In recent years, Poland was the country with the most immigration in the EU and the influx of migrants brought many advantages. However, politicians have decided to weaponize the issue to draw in a far-right electorate in this election year. Another example can be seen with the leading candidate for President, Rafal Trzaskowski (currently President of Warsaw) who just a couple of years ago was bragging about how much Warsaw has done to help Ukrainian refugees (always exaggerating about the city's actual contributions). In recent months he has gone on anti-Ukrainian tirades, promising to abolish payments for child support to Ukrainians. To explain, all taxpayers in Poland who have children receive a monthly support payment. This includes all foreigners. Why did the candidate single out Ukrainians with a proposal that is clearly discriminatory? It's clear that he is competing with fascists like Mentzen (another candidate) for the votes of xenophobes, especially those who have targetted Ukrainians (and who also are influenced by Russian propaganda through their local proxies).

In this political atmosphere, we find it especially important to speak out, especially as fewer and fewer people seem willing to do it. (Do you think any other union in Poland appeared today? Zero.)

We remind people that immigrants are just like everybody else and how many Polish people have immigrated – how many people have worked abroad to have better job opportunities or just because they wanted to go to another place? How many Polish people also live abroad because of issues such as intolerance in a country that up until last month had „LGBT-free zones”? How many people had to immigrate in the times when political repression was a common reality or when anti-semitic purges were carried out? How many people had to flee when war and then occupation happened here?

While the bigots who organized the racist march pretend to be faithful Catholics (even postponing the march when the Pope died), they cannot recognize the common humanity they share with other because they are blinded by racisms. We have to note that one of the celebrity guests of the racist march was none other than that piece of human excrement, Janusz Walus, the racist who killed Chris Hani and had a hit list that included Joe Slovo and Nelson Mandela. Walus was unfortunately sent back to Poland where he is now the idol of would-be murderous racists. His daughter on the other hand spoke at the anti-racist demo.

Racism and fascism will be a theme we raise again next week when we protest at the American Embassy. While the government there has employed horrendous racist abuses, Trump wants to visit Poland next month to give a bone to his faithful dogs in the Polish government. We will be on the streets to show our resistance to spreading fascism, authoritarianism and militarism.