Polish nationalists given prison sentences for “Zionists will hang on trees” chant

Two men have been given jail sentences for incitement to hatred against Jews during a march organised by the far-right National Radical Camp (ONR). During the event, they chanted “Zionists will hang on trees instead of leaves”.

One of the men has been sentenced to a year’s imprisonment, while the other has received a suspended six-month sentence. Both can still appeal. Five other defendants, among them ONR’s former leader, Robert Bąkiewicz, were acquitted.

ONR is one of Poland’s foremost radical-nationalist groups. It is one of the three organisations that founded and continues to play a leading role in the annual Independence March in Warsaw, which draws tens of thousands of participants and has received support from Poland’s current national-conservative ruling camp.

The event in question took place in April 2016, when ONR organised celebrations in the city of Białystok to mark the 82nd anniversary of the founding of its interwar predecessor organisation of the same name.

Around 400 supporters gathered for a mass in the city’s cathedral and a march through the streets (pictured above). They carried flags and wore armbands bearing the ONR’s fascist-style “Falanga” symbol.

According to media reports, participants shouted slogans including: “We will defend Europe and won’t let the Islamists in”, “National radicalism,” “Poles against immigrants”, “Death to enemies of the fatherland”, “Great Catholic Poland”, and “Zionists will hang on trees instead of leaves.”

In a trial that began in May this year, the seven accused participants pleaded not guilty to public incitement of hatred based on ethnic differences, a crime carrying a potential sentence of up to two years in prison. Bąkiewicz, the only one to waive his right to anonymity, called the case against them “absurd”.

Yesterday, the court acquitted Bąkiewicz and four other participants. However, Jarosław R. was sentenced to a year in prison for initiating the chant about Zionists, while Krzysztof S. received a six-month sentence, suspended for two years, for repeating the slogan.

“[The defendants] are well aware of how their slogans are perceived,” said the judge, Sławomir Cilulko, quoted by TVN24. “The pre-war ONR openly called for the removal of Jews from Poland.”

In a separate case, Poland’s Supreme Court recently ruled that ONR – whose stated aim is to create an “ethnically homogeneous” Poland – can be called “fascist”.

Jarosław R. and Krzysztof S. must both also pay 200 zloty (€45) in damages to the plaintiff in the case, Rafał Gaweł, founder of the Centre for Monitoring Racist and Xenophobic Behaviour.

The activist called the case “one of the most important trials concerning the radical right in Poland”, and expressed hope that the sentence will set the groundwork for outlawing ONR altogether.

Gaweł himself has a controversial past, having been sentenced to prison in Poland for fraud but fleeing to Norway, where he was granted asylum last year.

Agnieszka Wądołowska

Agnieszka Wądołowska is deputy editor of Notes from Poland. She has previously worked for Gazeta.pl and Tokfm.pl and contributed to Gazeta Wyborcza, Wysokie Obcasy, Duży Format, Midrasz and Kultura Liberalna