Polish police have detained three persons associated with organizing an anti-Semitic event which took place in Kalisz in central Poland on Independence Day, Nov. 11.
During the celebration at the main square, actor and the owner of the internet channel Wojciech Olszański is accused of shouting out anti-Semitic and homophobic slogans during the event while burning the Statute of Kalisz — a document dated on year 1264 which granted Jews liberties on Polish soil when they were being persecuted in Western Europe.
Jakub Kumoch, from President’s Andrzej Duda’s office, emphasized that the event in Kalisz was an “attack against Poland” and that as a Pole, he felt that the history of his nation had been insulted. He added that President Duda strongly condemned any acts of anti-Semitism.
“The barbarity which was displayed by a group of hooligans in Kalisz stands in opposition to the values on which Poland was founded. Given the current situation on the border and the propaganda operations being carried out against Poland, such actions are basically treason,” the president wrote on Twitter on Sunday.
Stanowczo potępiam wszelkie akty antysemityzmu. Barbarzyństwo, którego dopuściła się grupa chuliganów w Kaliszu, stoi w sprzeczności z wartościami, na których oparta jest Rzeczpospolita. A wobec sytuacji na granicy i akcji propagandowych przeciwko Polsce jest wręcz aktem zdrady.
— Andrzej Duda (@AndrzejDuda) November 14, 2021Minister of the Interior Mariusz Kamiński announced that police detained three suspects. He also stated on Twitter that the Polish state must be resolute and ruthless against events like in the one in Kalisz.
“There is no permission for anti-Semitism and hate crimes motivated by nationality, religion or ethnicity. The Polish state must be ruthless and resolute against the organizers of the shameful event in Kalisz. Today, the police have detained three people associated with the matter,” Kamiński wrote.
Nie ma zgody na antysemityzm i nienawiść na tle narodowościowym, religijnym lub etnicznym. Wobec organizatorów haniebnego wydarzenia w Kaliszu państwo polskie musi okazać swoją bezwzględność i stanowczość. Dziś Policja zatrzymała trzy osoby w tej sprawie.
— Mariusz Kamiński (@Kaminski_M_) November 15, 2021
The prosecutor’s office filed three charges against the march’s organizers. They were charged with public incitement of hatred motivated by national differences, insulting a group of people due to their national and religious affiliation and public encouragement of committing crimes against people due to their national and religious affiliations.
