A violent crime in June sparked widespread anti-migrant protests across Poland. A Venezuelan man stabbed a 24-year-old Polish woman, Klaudia, to death in Torun, central-north Poland, prompting thousands to march through the city, organized by supporters of the far-right Konfederacja political alliance. The march featured signs saying “stop illegal immigration.” However, experts argue that anti-migrant sentiment in Poland is fueled by misinformation and fake news about the number of people entering the country.
Konrad Berkowicz, a lawmaker from Konfederacja, told TOK FM radio, “Xenophobia is an important element of our national unity. Condemning xenophobia and stifling it in the West has led to rapes and terrorist acts, that’s why we should cherish xenophobia.” This rhetoric has contributed to the rising anti-migrant sentiment, with many Poles believing that migrants pose a threat to their safety and job security.
Elmi Abdi, a 62-year-old Somali refugee who came to Poland in 1996, expressed his concerns about the growing hostility towards migrants. “Today, migrants are seen as responsible for all of Poland’s problems; we are scapegoats that all parties attack, even though politicians know it’s all untrue.” Abdi, who heads the Good Start foundation, which supports migrants, added, “It is sad because we [immigrants] do everything to work safely here, pay taxes, and integrate into society.”
The atmosphere in Poland has become increasingly hostile, with the Polish Migration Forum, a rights group, describing it as “pre-pogrom-like.” Agnieszka Kosowicz, head of the forum, said, “What distinguishes today’s situation is the violence. We are in a very bad place. Acts of violence already take place, people are subject to insults, threats, and displays of hostility and contempt.”
On July 19, anti-migrant marches organized by the far-right Konfederacja party and football fans swept through 80 Polish towns and cities, with protesters shouting racist slurs and slogans. Sixteen-year-old Nikola, who attended the march in Krakow, said, “I wanted to be part of a community. People are showing those at the top that they care about security and that Poland is our country. We should do everything we can to prevent what’s happening in Western Europe.”
Despite the protests, experts emphasize that Poland is not experiencing large-scale irregular migration. According to Kosowicz, “Within the Dublin procedure, Germany returns people who claimed asylum in Poland and then crossed into Germany. In 2024, there were 688 such people, and this year – 318. This is nothing new.” The International Migration Outlook report for 2024 from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) also found that only 2.2 percent of Poland’s population was foreign-born in 2023.
The Polish government has taken steps to tighten border controls, reinstating temporary border checks with Germany and Lithuania. Prime Minister Donald Tusk defended the decision, saying, “We are doing this for you, for the Germans, the Dutch, the French, because it’s the border of the European Union.” However, critics argue that this move signals a broader shift toward national self-interest and could mark the beginning of the end for borderless travel in the European Union.