Two found guilty for anti-Semitic slogans during nationalists' march

The trial related to events from 16 April, 2016, when the National Radical Camp (ONR) organised a march. Nearly 400 people walked through the streets to commemorate the 82nd anniversary of the organisation. A special mass was also held at the local cathedral.

In a footage showing fragments of the march, the participants can be seen shouting slogans such as: "We will protect Europe, we won't let in islamists", "National radicalism", Poles against immigrants", "Death to enemies of fatherland" or "Grand Catholic Poland".

One investigation - launched in Białystok and taken over in Warsaw - pertained to suspicion of inciting hatred motivated by nationality, ethnicity, race or belief. It was discontinued. This paved the way for private indictments.

Rafał Gaweł (founder of the Centre for Monitoring Racist and Xenophobic Behaviour) used this right and filed a subsidiary indictment in which he accused seven members of nationalist groups of inciting hatred against members of Jewish community, including himself, by chanting: "From trees, instead of leaves, zionists will be hanging".

The trial began on May 5 at the District Court in Białystok. The defendants pleaded not guilty. The head of the Independence March association Robert Bąkiewicz, the only one who allowed publication of his identity and image, called the situation "absurd". He added that during the march in Białystok some 50 various slogans had been chanted.

"We were spread along some few hundred metres and practically the defendants didn't stand next to each other" - he said in May.

On June 30 the court handed down the verdict. For initiating chanting a slogan "From trees, instead of leaves, zionists will be hanging", Jarosław R. was sentenced to 1 year in prison. Krzysztof S., who had repeated the chant after Jarosław R., was sentenced to 6 months in prison in suspension for 2 years. Both men were also ordered to pay 200 zlotys each to the plaintiff. The remaining five defendants, including the chief of the Independence March association Robert Bąkiewicz, have been acquitted. The verdict is not yet legally binding.

Judge Sławomir Cilulko said the ONR members many times had rejected accusations that their organisation had a pro-fascist character and denied anti-Semitic approach.

"But they know very well what kind of slogans and gestures could be seen at marches organised by them, as well how their organisation is perceived by some communities. Also what ideology and values were shared by pre-war ONR members, to whose heritage they often look up to. And yet pre-war ONR had called for expulsion of Jews from Poland" - the judge said.