According to reports from Reuters and Al Jazeera, tens of thousands of nationalist sympathizers gathered in Warsaw on November 11, 2026, for Poland's annual Independence Day march.

 

Tens of thousands attend Polish nationalist march days after shootings

According to reports from Reuters and Al Jazeera, tens of thousands of nationalist sympathizers gathered in Warsaw on November 11, 2026, for Poland's annual Independence Day march. The demonstration took place under heightened political tension and heavy security just four days after a deadly mass shooting in Krakow.

Key Event Details

• Crowd Size and Atmosphere. City officials estimated the turnout at around 250,000 people, while march organizers claimed roughly half a million attended. The Warsaw Security Centre noted the event was largely peaceful despite the heated political climate.
• Security Measures. Authorities deployed extra police officers from outside the capital, installed concrete barriers, and instituted a temporary ban on carrying weapons in Warsaw. [
• Slogans and Participants. Marchers waved red-and-white Polish flags, lit flares, and carried banners reading "Poles are masters of their own land". Foreign nationalist groups, including Spain's Revuelta youth movement and Hungary's Mi Hazánk party, also joined the rally.

Context of the Krakow Shooting

• The Attack. On Saturday, November 7, 2026, a gunman opened fire in Krakow's historic main square, killing six people and wounding at least 15 others.
• Suspected Motive. Polish Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek stated prior to the march that the shooter appeared to be motivated by far-right ideology and had shown interest in Norwegian neo-Nazi Anders Behring Breivik.
• Mourning. Thousands of people and Polish leaders participated in a silent march in Krakow on November 9 to mourn the victims.

Political Reactions

• President Karol Nawrocki. Poland's conservative-nationalist president joined the Warsaw march, stating that the country does not exist for political elites to govern citizens against the will of the nation.
• Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Speaking in Szczecin, the centrist prime minister called for national unity and restraint. He urged Poles to lower the tone of confrontation and view independence and security as a common good.
• March Organizers. A spokesperson for the organizers condemned any politicization of the Krakow shooting while reiterating calls for a sovereign, mono-ethnic Poland