Indicator history

In 2008, one of the members of the Polish Parliament (a member of the right-wing party), on the occasion of the United States presidential election, when Barack Obama was chosen President, stated publicly in the Sejm (Lower House of Parliament) that his victory marks “the end of the civilisation of the white man”. He also called Obama “the black Messiah of the new left”.

In 2008, one of the members of the Polish Parliament (a member of the right-wing party), on the occasion of the United States presidential election, when Barack Obama was chosen President, stated publicly in the Sejm (Lower House of Parliament) that his victory marks “the end of the civilisation of the white man”. He also called Obama “the black Messiah of the new left”.

The Prawo i Sprawiedliwość (Law and Justice) right wing opposition party MP Marek Suski, at a Sejm Commission session, mentioned the Nigerian-born Platforma Obywatelska MP John Godson: “Your Negro is voting with you” [1&2]. Suski is known for several other insults, among others, at the Sejm debate on the Animal Protection Act when Robert Biedroń spoke. While the Ruch Palikota Party (Palikot's Movement) MP, first openly gay member of parliament in Poland, was delivering his speech, Marek Suski compared partnerships to zoophilia.

Racist statements were also heard from the vice-president of Gdańsk Andrzej Bojanowski who, asked about his impressions of the match, said in the interview for Radio Gdańsk after the 2012 EURO finished: “(...) I am thankful to all units of public service for the fact that we were able to behave like normal people, civilized, white people”. Although the vice-president apologized for his words and the whole thing was considered accomplished, the activists from Sojusz Lewicy Demokratycznej in Gdańsk (Democratic Left Alliance) have demanded his resignation [3].

The lawsuit of a border guard Tomasz D.  has just begun in the District Court in Białystok. The man commented on refugees on the Internet in an insulting manner, using the words: “Caucasian layabouts”, “scum”, “group of aggressive parasites”. The border guard was accused of the crime of insult of persons of Chechen nationality and incitement to hatred. Yet he has pleaded not guilty. He believes that his statements do not insult anyone, being merely the quotations from Polish and European media dealing with migration policy. He has been suspended from his duties [4].

Sources:

1. Gazeta.pl, 26.01.2012, Poseł PIS o czarnoskórym pośle PO: Wasz murzynek głosuje razem z wami (The Law and Justice MP about the Black MP of the Civic Platform party: your Negro is voting with you), http://radom.gazeta.pl/radom/1,35219,11035793,Posel_PiS_o_czarnoskorym_posle_PO___Wasz_murzynek.html#ixzz2FjBs03Rs, Accessed on 12.12.2012.

2. TOK FM.pl, 27.01.2012, Wasz murzynek głosuje z wami (Your Negro is voting with you), http://www.tokfm.pl/Tokfm/1,103454,11044223,_Murzynek_glosuje_z_wami___Antropolog__slowa_absolutnie.html, Accessed on 12.12.2012.

3. Polskie Radio.pl, 12.06.2012, Wiceprezydent straci posadę za rasistowskie słowa? (The vice-president will loose his post for the racist statements?), http://www.polskieradio.pl/5/3/Artykul/623972,Wiceprezydent-straci-posade-za-rasistowskie-slowa, Accessed on 12.12.2012.

4. Gazeta Wyborcza.pl, 13.12.2012, Strażnik Graniczny odpowiada za nawoływanie do nienawiści (The Border Guard officer is standing trail for incitement to hatred), http://wyborcza.pl/1,75478,13040223,Straznik_graniczny_odpowiada_za_nawolywanie_do_nienawisci.html, Accessed on 13.12.2012.