On December 21, 2013, an illegal racist demonstration titled “No to Gypsy Crime” took place in Zabrze. Although banned by local authorities, the event drew far-right activists and even children carrying school IDs, revealing the normalization of extremist rhetoric in public spaces.
From extremist provocation to public spectacle
The demonstration, organized by the National Rebirth of Poland (NOP) and the Patrioci Górnik Zabrze group, was preceded by the appearance of a swastika and the slogan “Poland for Poles,” spelled out in paving stones at the protest’s planned starting point. Despite the official ban, several dozen participants gathered, pushing journalists aside and chanting for “curfews for Roma.”
Notably, many attendees were minors who, when confronted by police, presented their school IDs. Fans of Górnik Zabrze football club publicly distanced themselves from the rally, underscoring internal divisions even within nationalist circles. The demonstration illustrated both the brazenness of neo-fascist groups in mobilizing around racist narratives and the troubling presence of youth within such movements.
