Police criticized for role at nationalist march in Warsaw

By VANESSA GERA
Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Opposition politicians in Poland have criticized police for detaining anti-fascist activists but not reacting to the appearance of a Nazi-era symbol during a nationalist march. The detention of the activists occurred during Friday’s yearly far-right-led Independence March in Warsaw. Many liberal groups who oppose the march have accused the police for years of displaying favorable treatment toward the nationalists while treating protesters of the event unfairly. An opposition member of Poland’s Senate tweeted a photo from the march of participants carrying a banner with the “Black Sun” symbol of Nazi Germany’s SS guards, noting that police didn’t intervene. The promotion of totalitarian ideologies is illegal in Poland.