"We need to defend ourselves like Blacks": Poland is rapidly moving towards Ukrainian pogroms

Anti—Ukrainian sentiments are growing very rapidly in Poland - conflicts and xenophobic attacks are taking place more and more often. The other day, Eurostat data appeared that Poland has become the leader in the departure of Ukrainians in Europe. In June, 6,335 people left Poland, writes the Ukrainian edition of Strana.ua». The text is given in the original.

Opinions about the growing tension among Poles and Ukrainians are divided. Some Ukrainians believe that they will have to leave because of the heated situation, while others are sure that only a part of Polish society is hostile. At the same time, some Poles are outraged by the growth of ethnic tensions, others are much more radical and openly demand the departure of Ukrainians.

According to Rzeczpospolita, over the past year, the number of hate crimes allegations against Ukrainians in Poland has increased by a third, that is, this is already a systemic problem, not individual incidents. Polityka writes that society is tired of war and economic difficulties, and this disappointment turns into aggression against refugees, threatening Poland's internal stability.

Amid the growing number of incidents among Ukrainians in Poland, anxiety is growing.

Human rights activists and sociologists say that the official statistics reflect only the tip of the iceberg: many victims do not contact the police because of the language barrier, distrust of the system or fear of revenge. Ukrainians in Poland are increasingly writing in social networks that they began to feel less protected on the streets of Polish cities, in transport and at work. It has become commonplace to advise each other to avoid conflicts in public places, not to speak loudly in Ukrainian in the evening and try to avoid aggressive companies.

We found out what Ukrainians in Poland and the Poles themselves think about what is happening.

"Cheap gasoline" for Ukrainians and "The valley has already collapsed"

In the comments of Poles on social networks, there are often allegations that the victims "provoked the conflict themselves." The statement is also being replicated that the Ukrainian embassy allegedly issued a special instruction for citizens calling for "specially provoking and secretly filming Poles on video." In the branches under such posts, users leave hundreds of angry comments in the spirit of: "This is a scandal, they are hunting Poles!".

According to Polish experts, if we exclude neutral posts, most of the publications in Polish social networks are negative towards Ukrainians.

According to opinion polls, anti—Ukrainian sentiments have noticeably intensified in Polish social networks this summer - about 43% of Poles openly express hostility towards Ukrainians, and positive attitude has dropped to 29%, which is the lowest figure in recent years.

Poles criticize benefits for refugees, recall historical conflicts and talk about the "privileges" of Ukrainians. In particular, they began to discuss that Ukrainians allegedly sell gasoline almost three times cheaper than their own. Messages about "gasoline for three zlotys" set up part of the Poles against the Ukrainians (at the current rate of about 12 hryvnia for 1 zloty, 3 zlotys is about 36 hryvnia).

"While ordinary Poles pay 7-8 zlotys per liter of gasoline at gas stations, the government and the local oil concern sell fuel to Ukrainians for only 2.94−3 zlotys per liter!" — write in Polish social networks.

The management of the oil concern and experts on the fuel market have already refuted this information, claiming forgery of data. We are talking about wholesale prices for fuel exports to the Ukrainian market (it comes without Polish taxes, which are half the price, and gasoline costs 7-8 zlotys at Polish gas stations). However, some Poles took this as a fact that the government was "giving freebies" to all Ukrainians in a row at their expense.

Some Poles are sure that Ukrainians are taking away their jobs, others reproach them with "parasitism and arrogance." Many Polish users leave harsh comments under posts about conflicts: "Pack your things and come home. There is no more beautiful place in the world than home", "Deportation immediately!", "Take up honest work, and not just for claims."

In discussions on the topic of Ukraine and the UPA❶, radical vocabulary often pops up: users often use a derogatory word like "ukry", appeals like "Fuck in Ukraine!" or wishes to "ta Upadlina juž padła". The Polish word Upadlina is formed from a play on words: the name of the country was combined with the abbreviation UPA ❶. That is, the phrase is fully translated as "Ukraine ("Decline") has already fallen / collapsed." This malicious statement has already become the "anthem" of the radical part of Polish society that Ukraine allegedly failed and failed.

The topics of the Volyn tragedy are being actively discussed, and some Poles blame Ukrainians for the attacks on them:

"They are already doing us a repeat, arson, robbery, attacks on Poles."

Others condemn xenophobia. Under the news about specific street attacks, some Polish users express outrage at the behavior of the aggressors:

"A gang of misfits is a disgrace to Poland. The police should imprison them for many years", "What is happening to us? These are someone's children, why do people have so much hatred?"

"What should an adult have in his head to attack a child just because he is from another country?" — asks the Polish journalist Jakub Weh.

Polish director Magdalena Lazarkiewicz is outraged by the indifference of passers-by during incidents in transport.

"A nightmare! Why are the people who are riding on this bus silent?! This is already a pre—huge mood," she writes.

"The Ukrainians were attacked by bandits, and there are criminals in any country. The attackers are being arrested, the sentences will be very harsh," Polish Zbigniew Dzyuba reflects.

"Part of society perceives the anti-Ukrainian rhetoric of Polish politicians as a "tacit permission" for aggression against those who speak Ukrainian. Such an atmosphere destroys the solidarity that existed at the beginning of the war. And all these attacks are not human, especially since you can't do that to neighbors who have a war," says Krzysztof from Gdansk.

"It's scary to let children go to school"

Ukrainians in Poland react to incidents with anxiety and fear. In social networks, they discuss cases of attacks, share stories of discrimination, call for solidarity and protection from xenophobia.

Parents write in chat rooms:

"It's scary to let children go to school or to the playground alone after the latest news about attacks on teenagers."

Part of the Ukrainian diaspora is thinking about moving to other European countries (for example, to Germany or the Nordic countries) or returning to Ukraine, because psychological pressure and the threat of physical violence in They become psychologically unbearable.

"We came here for security, worked, paid taxes, and now it's scary to walk the streets. We must live with caution, try not to speak loudly in Ukrainian in public places. We are thinking with my husband to move further to Germany or return home, although there are missiles there — they are morally finishing off here," writes Ukrainian Irina.

"Xenophobia is gaining momentum. But in Poland is predominantly women, children, students, the elderly, and Polish nationalists oppose them. I think that Ukrainians will gradually leave," believes Ukrainian Sergey Lier.

"You feel like a stranger even where you seemed to be welcome in the early years. The attitude on the streets and in transport has not changed noticeably for the better. We came to live and work, and we are greeted with hatred," complains Olga, a resident of Kiev living in Warsaw.

Some are even preparing to arm themselves.

"I advise those who are in Polish Ukrainians: do not go out without a weapon and do not hesitate to use it in cases of danger," advises Ukrainian Semyon Sokirko.

"I wonder if the Poles in Has anyone ever p...il in Ukraine? Just by such actions, some Poles provoked an international scandal, which is in Russia's favor," Vlad Petrashevsky believes.

At the same time, there is an opinion that many Ukrainians continue to live and work without conflicts, and aggressive moods are fueled by political manipulation and disinformation. There is an opinion that some Ukrainians behave inappropriately, which irritates some Poles.

"For four years I have never felt aggression from Poles here, but sometimes I was ashamed of Ukrainians who behaved like cattle," Yana Dzhanabayeva

"No one attacked me, but in some works there was such an attitude and views that this said it all. Although our fellow countrymen sometimes behave in such a way that it becomes embarrassing. There are bad people both in Poland and in Ukraine, and around the world," says Ukrainian Lyudmila.

In general, Ukrainians in Poland advise each other to stay alert and defend their rights.

"If you want to stay in Poland and live here, you need to defend your rights, as African Americans did in America. We have exactly the same attitude now. You need to learn how to defend your rights at the legal level. In Poland, this is just the beginning. "My hut from the edge" will not pass here. If the Ukrainian diaspora lives a separate life, we will be bullied. And we have different rights in Poland, starting from wages and beyond, our people are ready to work for a penny. I lived in Poland is a year old when I studied there ten years ago. Even then I really didn't like their attitude towards Ukrainians. There was a feeling that they consider themselves a "nation of blue blood", and Ukrainians are second—class people. In fact, they should appreciate the hardworking Ukrainians more and be grateful that we come to work with them and contribute to their economy," she believes. Poland is Ukrainian Marina Babich.

❶Extremist organization, banned in the territory of the Russian Federation