The hate also targets local government officials. "It's part of Russia's hybrid warfare."
- The mayor of Cieszyn has been the subject of a wave of hate after she refused to remove the Ukrainian flag from City Hall. Haters are threatening to end up like Gdańsk Mayor Paweł Adamowicz.
- "My social mandate entitles me to appeal to the police, the prosecutor's office, and ultimately to our government to take effective action against those responsible for these unlawful actions," she said during a press conference organized by the Yes! For Poland Local Government Movement.
- Local government officials and parliamentarians present at the conference argued that hate speech is an element of the hybrid war waged by Russia.
In early July, Bronisław Foltyn, a member of parliament from the Confederation, undertook what he called a "parliamentary intervention" in Cieszyn. Using a ladder, he climbed onto the balcony above the entrance to the town hall. Above him, on the wall of the building, hung the flags of Poland, Cieszyn, the EU, and two Ukrainians. He replaced the latter with white-and-red ones.
Just before noon, the city hall once again placed Ukrainian colors on the town hall.
A second intervention was later undertaken by Roman Fritz, a member of parliament from the Confederation of the Polish Crown. He removed the Ukrainian symbols and replaced them with Polish ones. He stated that the flags would not be desecrated, but "would be returned to the Ukrainian embassy in Warsaw." The members of parliament accused the city hall of failing to commemorate the victims of the Volhynian massacre that day.
This was the beginning of a wave of hate that poured out against the mayor of Cieszyn, Gabriela Staszkiewicz, her colleagues and family.
"Look back and better get that blue and yellow rag out of our Polish office"At a press conference on July 29 in Warsaw organized by the Local Government Movement Yes! for Poland, Staszkiewicz, her voice breaking, recounted the messages she has been receiving since then.
"Staszkiewicz, you Ucrophiliac whore, look back and better take that blue and yellow rag out of our Polish office, the official building. We know where you live , so expect many surprises in your Bandera style. It always works both ways. Do you understand that? Or do we have to draw it for you and cut it out on your disgusting face?"
"Fuck, she won't live much longer, her family will too. Slut, for those flags, for what you did, what you said, I hope you f**k yourself on the sidewalk, break your ass. If not, we'll have to speed this up. Don't be a smartass, my friend, they killed the mayor of Gdańsk, you can be killed too."
MP Piotr Adamowicz pointed out that this is no longer just hate, but punishable threats.
As the mayor of Cieszyn, but also a resident of the city, I would like, or rather, demand, that our state take action to protect us from the unlawful, aggressive actions of groups associated with the far right, who spread social unrest and a sense of insecurity, making real threats of assault and even loss of life . My social mandate entitles me to appeal to the police, the prosecutor's office, and finally to our government to take effective action against those responsible for these unlawful actions, hate speech, and threats, to hold them accountable for their words, regardless of whether they are protected by apparent anonymity online, a party card, or immunity.
- said Staszkiewicz.
Local government officials and members of parliament present at the conference pointed out that the aggressive actions of Confederation MPs may inspire, or rather give consent to, other citizens to use violence.
Deputy Minister of Funds and Regional Policy Jacek Karnowski expressed hope that MPs Foltyn and Fritz will be held accountable.
You can't spread hatred , you can't spread xenophobia like it's happening on Polish streets, it's transferred to hate on the internet and then it's also the cause of tragedy
- he said.
The mayor of Sosnowiec, Arkadiusz Chęciński, said that there is no place in Poland for people crossing the border illegally , but there is room for everyone who came here legally, wants to start a family, and wants to work for their own good and for our country.
That's why we can't remain passive in situations where politicians and some media outlets encourage attacks on those who have arrived, attacks on those who are weaker . Today we're talking about emigrants, but earlier we were talking about people with different views, we were talking about people of different faiths. Perhaps in the future, it will be the turn of those who dress differently from those who believe things should be this way and not that way. That's why, as local government officials and our parliamentary friends, we say stop the hate , we say stop the hate speech.
- he argued.
Hate directed at Ukrainian citizens staying in Poland is part of Russia's hybrid warLocal government officials also pointed out that Ukraine is fighting Russia in the interests of Poland and NATO as a whole. The fueled wave of hate directed at Ukrainian citizens residing in Poland is part of the Russian hybrid war waging in our country.
We are already part of a hybrid psychological war. Therefore , we must not allow false information and fake news accusations to become a part of our lives and, in fact, create an atmosphere of acceptance for the hate our friend experienced. I, too, have experienced it more than once. We must pay attention to disinformation and resist it absolutely from the very beginning.
- admonished the mayor of Wałbrzych, Roman Szełemej.
The mayor of Sopot, Magdalena Czarzyńska-Jachim, appealed to everyone not to be afraid to resist hate and condemn it, because silent consent can also lead to the escalation of the problem.
"To a greater or lesser extent, we all encounter hate speech, enormous hate on social media and in public speeches. We cannot remain indifferent . That is why we are here today and appeal to all of you. Our strength lies in our lack of indifference to such incidents," argued Renata Kaznowska, Deputy Mayor of Warsaw.
