Poland's eurosceptic leaders hold joint march with far right groups
WARSAW - Poland's eurosceptic leaders marked a century of national independence on Sunday as around 200,000 people marched through the capital in a parade involving far-right groups and neo-fascist activists from Italy.
The march is a focus of debate about whether the ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS) tacitly encourages groups with roots in the fascist and anti-Semitic movements. The party won power in 2015 and Poland has since become increasingly isolated in Europe amid accusations of a tilt towards authoritarian rule.
Some marchers in Warsaw chanted: "Away with the EU" but there was no sign of white supremacist banners visible at last year's march.
Government officials walked at a distance from the main marchers away from any overt displays of nationalism and they were kept separate by security forces.
"Thank you for coming here, for Poland, and for bringing the white and red (Polish) flag which saw our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers spill their blood," President Andrzej Duda, a PiS ally, said at the start of the march.
"There is space for everyone under our flags," he said.
Several hundred metres behind the government column, participants held banners saying "God, Honour, Homeland" and launched red flares.
Some chanted: "Pride, pride, national pride" and "Poland should be national not red or rainbow-coloured", in a reference to the red flag of the Soviet Union and the symbol of gay pride.
Warsaw's city mayor sought to ban a far-right march held on Nov. 11 annually for almost a decade but a court overruled her.
The government then agreed with organisers after last-minute talks to hold a joint event to mark a 100 years since Poland's 1918 declaration of independence after an 18th century partition by Russia, Austria and Germany.
