De-legalisation of the National Radical Camp in Brzeg

Alert DateOctober 13, 2009 Country: Poland Address: Opole Racism and discrimination phenomena: Extremism - organised Racist Violence
General Type: Racist discourse Groups affected / Interested in: Migrants, Roma & Travelers, Muslims, Ethnic minorities, Religious minorities, Linguistic minorities Strands: Racism Key Areas: Anti-racist Crime Legislation & Implementation

The Opole Regional Court ruled to dissolve the National Radical Camp (Brzeg Chapter), because the association’s activity constituted persistent violation of the law due to propagation of fascism. The court based its judgement on evidence from criminal proceedings carried out in preceding years against Brzeg NRC members, in which these individuals were found guilty of public propagation of fascism. During rallies in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, the association’s members and supporters, mainly on St. Anna Mountain on the anniversary of historic events, shouted out nationalist and anti-Semitic slogans and performed the Nazi salute. Moreover, the court found reference between the NCR Brzeg Chapter and the prewar NRC that was active in 1934, which was an extreme right wing, anti-Semitic organisation and propagated structural modifications of the state based on the fascist model. Due to this fact, the NCR Brzeg Chapter was found guilty of the violation of article 13 of the Constitution, which proscribes the existence of political parties and other organizations whose political platforms make reference to totalitarian methods and practices of Nazism, fascism and communism, as well as those whose platforms or activity assumes or condones racial or nationalist hatred.

Source: Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights