A huge nationalist march took place in the Polish capital Warsaw, drawing out crowds as large as 60,000 people. According to the Independent, it was said to have been one of the biggest far-right gatherings to have ever taken place in the world. Far-right and nationalist figures from all over the world attended the march, including the likes of the English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson. The protestors marched through the streets of Warsaw chanting things like "God, honour, country." There were also some reports of racist chants taking place, with some of the far-right marchers chanting "Pure poland, White Poland."
The far-right is on the rise across the continent.
About 2,000 "anti-fascist" counter-protestors attended the march, which saw marchers carrying Polish flags and throwing red smoke bombs.
Polish Independence Day is marked to signify the country gaining independence 123 years ago after it was divided by Russia, Prussia and the Anglo-Hungarian empire. Some of the concerns voiced by some of the marchers spoke of the worry over the "Islamisation of Europe," a sentiment that has become increasingly common on the far-right.
In Europe, the rise of far-right parties has become an alarming phenomenon, with many far-right parties in established European countries making significant inroads into mainstream politics. In France, Marine Le Pen, the leader of the Front National came second in the recent French elections, being beaten in the election by Emmanuel Macron, who became the youngest head of state in France since Napoleon.
Although Marine Le Pen was defeated, she still managed to gain 33 percent of the vote, an unthinkable prospect just five years ago. The Front National, who was founded by Marine's father Jean Marie Le Pen has a notorious reputation in France when it comes to racism and anti-Semitism.
Far-right support on the rise
In Holland and Germany, far-right parties have made significant gains in recent elections.
A common issue of concern that is voiced by these members of the far-right is the situation regarding immigration. Europe has seen an influx of migrants enter the continent from the war zones of the Middle East and the poverty-stricken countries of Sub-Saharan Africa since the "migrant crisis" as it is referred to began in early 201.
Angela Merkel's decision to allow well in excess of a million migrants into Germany has coincided with a noticeable rise in far-right sympathies. During this time Europe has also been victim to multiple terrorist attacks which have claimed hundreds of lives.
We may be repulsed by some of the views that some people within these far-right parties hold. There has always been that element of the right who is only concerned with stoking the fires of division and hate. But a march like we saw in Poland should speak of a greater problem. It was reported that only a small minority of those attending the march participated in the racist chanting, there are those people who have grave concerns about some of the deeper social issues that are occurring in society that are also drawn in by these far-right movements.
If our political elite refuses to address the serious concerns that people have regarding issues like unregulated mass migration, these far-right parties will continue to grow, possibly to all to our detriment.
