– Marek Edelman didn’t take part in the official events either -says Sawicka. – We were with him then, and we continue this tradition after his death. Sawicka explains that ever since the Polish president, Andrzej Duda began to attend the official commemorations, the accompanying security measures made people uncomfortable. According to Sawicka, the unofficial commemorations are a protest against the authorities’ apparent high tolerance of incidents of anti-Semitism, racism and homophobia.:

– Politicians themselves often make hateful and discriminatory pronouncements. We hear that the Nazi salute, so beloved by the Polish ultra-nationalists is just a Roman salute and that the swastika is just a symbol of happiness.

– We hear from the ruling party’s politicians about the “need for deportations of atheists, the Eastern Orthodox and the Muslims who will not subscribe to the values considered important in Poland – adds Sawicka.

It is this context that makes the official celebrations of the Ghetto Uprising’s anniversary, organised by the same authorities who tolerate such statements, disturbing and unacceptable – concludes the Chair of the Open Republic’s Programme  Board.