In the Polish city of Jarosław, a “March of Silence” was held in memory of Father Stanisław Zbojnowicz, who died as a result of an attack by a Ukrainian citizen, Ihor M., on the local monastery.
According to the abbey, several thousand people took part in the funeral procession. Participants walked in complete silence with Polish flags and candles from the Market Square to the abbey, where they prayed for the murdered priest and the injured priests and laypeople.
One of the organizers of the march, the leader of the National Movement in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship, Marcin Kowalski, stated that the silent action would not be the end of it and announced political protests as early as October.
Already on October 10, a new action will take place with demands for a responsible migration policy and the safety of Poles, which he called a “manifestation of shouting, appeal, and demands.”
“Many of you today would like to shout out certain words. And for that, the time will yet come,” he stated.
The tension between Poland and Ukraine, which glorifies war criminals complicit in the genocide of Poles, is already so great that it has affected attitudes toward Ukrainian migrants. The tragedy in Jarosław has only worsened the problems.
Right-wing politicians in Poland are expected to use the high-profile attack to mobilize their electorate, and the October 10 rally is likely to be truly massive. The number of participants could well exceed the population of Jarosław, which numbers 35,000.
