Poles in 22 cities across Poland protested a rise in violence against Ukrainians on Sunday, August 9, Polish news outlet RMF24 reported.
The Committee for the Defense of Democracy, a Polish civic group, organized the demonstrations, calling them a response to a growing number of verbal and physical attacks on people targeted because of their origin, language, or appearance.
The protests took place in Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, Poznan, Wroclaw, and other cities.
Similar protests also took place on August 7. Organizers submitted a petition bearing more than 11,000 signatures to the Interior Ministry, demanding decisive action against attacks on Ukrainian citizens.
Attacks on Ukrainians in Poland have surged in recent weeks, Ukrainian news outlet Ukrainska Pravda reported. In late July, a Ukrainian couple in Wroclaw was attacked and beaten; the attack was reportedly triggered by “their accent.” In Gdansk, a man assaulted a Ukrainian passerby along with two Polish residents, whom he called “Banderites.” In Poznan, three men hurled insults at a Ukrainian man, then beat a 60-year-old bystander who tried to defend him.
According to a recent poll, more Poles now oppose than support accepting refugees from Ukraine.
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