On Sunday, August 9, demonstrations are taking place in 22 Polish cities under the slogan "Don’t Be Indifferent" as an expression of protest against the rise in violence directed against Ukrainians and representatives of other minorities. In most cities, the actions began after 5:00 p.m., UNN reports, citing RMF24 and Polish Radio.
Details
The nationwide action is being organized by the Committee for the Defence of Democracy (KOD). As the organizers emphasize, the demonstrations are intended to respond to increasingly frequent cases of verbal and physical attacks against people who become targets of aggression because of their origin, language, or appearance. The events also aim to express solidarity with people who experience violence and discrimination.
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Demonstrations are planned, in particular, in Warsaw, Kraków, Gdańsk, Poznań, Wrocław, Katowice, Rzeszów, Lublin, Łódź, Szczecin, Białystok, and Kielce. Stickers bearing the inscription "Don’t Be Indifferent" are being distributed there. KOD is calling on participants to place them, in particular, on the doors of shops and establishments or on cars. This is intended to be a sign to Ukrainians that in such places "they can count on help, feel safe, and receive support."
The organizers say that the demonstrations are intended to mark the beginning of a broader public campaign, and call for opposition to violence, contempt, and discrimination regardless of origin or language. As they note, a lack of response to such manifestations may lead to their escalation.
Sunday’s demonstrations are the latest in a series of public initiatives in recent days in response to the rise in anti-Ukrainian and anti-immigrant sentiment. In particular, a similar action took place last Sunday in Castle Square in Warsaw. And on Friday, August 8, a demonstration entitled "My Poland Does Not Hit, Insult, or Harass" was held in Warsaw, during which the organizers submitted to the Chancellery of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of the Interior and Administration a petition signed by more than 11,000 people. In it, they demanded decisive action from the government against, among other things, brutal attacks on Ukrainian citizens.
The protests are a direct response to a series of brutal incidents that have occurred across Poland in recent weeks—including the beating of a Ukrainian couple in Wrocław, an attack involving a baseball bat in Gliwice and insults directed at Ukrainian children on a bus in Bielsko-Biała.
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Reports by research centers such as Res Futura and the University of Warsaw also point to a sharp increase in hate speech on Polish social media in May and June 2026.