Page 9 - AT

A9
WORLD NEWS Monday 12 noveMber 2018

Poland marks centenary of its national rebirth at end of WWI

By MONIKA SCISLOWSKA Forza Nuova are national- Nov. 11 that have included reached on Friday. the past. After some indi-
and VANESSA GERA ists who are in touch with racist slogans, flares and in “Let this be our joint march, viduals showed up with
Associated Press the Polish group.Among some years, acts of aggres- let it be a march for every- extremist emblems, the
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — state officials — surrounded
Poland’s president, prime by security — appeared
minister and other top polit- to try to keep some dis-
ical figures led an Indepen- tance from the nationalists,
dence Day march Sunday marching ahead of them
as part of a day of cente- on the same route.
nary celebrations, trailed Throughout the day, obser-
by a huge crowd led by vances, Masses, marathons
nationalist groups. and fireworks were held
More than 250,000 people in cities and small towns
marched in Warsaw to to commemorate the na-
mark the 100th anniversary tion’s statehood regained
of Poland’s rebirth as an at the end of World War I,
independent state at the after 123 years of foreign
end of World War I, accord- rule. The national flag flut-
ing to police. tered from buildings, buses
President Andrzej Duda, and cars, while dignitaries
Prime Minister Mateusz and regular citizens placed
Morawiecki and the leader flowers at memorials to
of the conservative ruling the father of Polish inde-
party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, pendence, Marshal Jozef
walked in a crowd fronted Pilsudski. The historic Sigis-
by soldiers carrying a huge mund Bell, reserved only
flag words “For You Po- for the most important na-
land.” tional events, rang out over
Walking a small distance Krakow.
behind them was another Polish President Andrzej Duda, right, speaks during the official ceremony marking Poland’s March participant Bartlo-
crowd of nationalists and Independence Day, in Warsaw, Poland, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018, as leader of the ruling Law and miej Mazur, 23, who trav-
their supporters, many of Justice party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, second left, stands behind. elled 320 kilometers (200
them burning firecrackers Associated Press miles) to the capital, said
and flares, creating flashes he wanted to show that
of red light and smoke. the slogans that partici- sion. one, a march where ev- “Poland is a strong, proud
Most in that contingent pants shouted were “USA, Sunday’s was by far the eryone wants to be and nation. We have freedom
carried national white-and- empire of evil” and “Po- largest Independence Day feels good, marching for and we have the right to
red flags, but some held land, white and Catholic.” march to date, and it was Poland,” Duda said at the manifest our feelings and
flags of the National Radi- Members of one nationalist mostly peaceful. Govern- start of the march. our pride in our country.”
cal Camp, a far-right group group, eurosceptic All-Pol- ment spokeswoman Joan- Duda and the government The ceremonies in Poland
and one of the main march ish Youth, burned a Euro- na Kopcinska called it “the faced criticism from liberal coincide with world lead-
organizers. The camp’s flag pean Union flag. An EU flag biggest march of free Poles opposition politicians for ers gathering in Paris on
has a falanga, a far-right was also burned at another in a free Poland.” their willingness to negoti- Sunday to mark a century
symbol dating to the 1930s nationalist rally in Wroclaw. This year, in honor of the ate with nationalists, includ- since the armistice of what
of a stylized hand with a The city’s mayor dissolved centennial, state officials ing some who have made was then called the Great
sword. the march by national- sought to hold one big gov- anti-Semitic comments in War.q
There were also a few flags ists toward its end, during ernment-led march for Sun-
of Forza Nuova, an Italian speeches by far-right lead- day’s ceremonies. At first,
group whose leader, Ro- ers. negotiations broke down
berto Fiore, describes him- Over the past decade, over requests for the radical
self as fascist. One of the nationalist organizations groups to leave banners
organizers of the march, have held Independence at home, but an agree-
Krzysztof Bosak, insisted that Day marches in Warsaw on ment on a joint march was