‘Don’t Be Indifferent’: Poles Rally Nationwide Against Anti-Ukrainian Hostility

The rallies were held on Sunday in 22 cities, including the capital Warsaw, the southern city of Krakow and the Baltic port city of Gdańsk. The nationwide action was organized by the Committee for the Defense of Democracy (KOD), a Polish civic movement, under the slogan “Don’t be indifferent.” JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Organizers said the demonstrations were intended as a response to increasingly frequent verbal and physical attacks against people targeted because of their origin, language or appearance. They also aimed to show solidarity with Ukrainians and other minorities facing violence and discrimination. KOD chairman Jakub Karyś said Ukrainians had become an important part of Polish society, adding that violence against them was unacceptable. Participants were handed stickers bearing the slogan “Don’t be indifferent,” which organizers encouraged them to place on shop doors, businesses and cars. KOD said the stickers were intended as a sign to Ukrainians that they could “count on help, feel safe and have support” in those places. Najgorszym naszym grzechem wobec bliźnich nie jest nienawiść, ale obojętność. To jest istota niehumanitaryzmu.George Bernard ShawNie bądź obojętny . Teraz Protest w Warszawie . 9 sierpnia 2026Nie dla faszyzmu . pic.twitter.com/uMrFWnGIe2— Karina Kozłowska (@koz_karina) August 9, 2026 Rising tensions Poland has been one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, providing military and humanitarian aid and hosting nearly one million people who fled the war. However, ties between the two nations have faced growing strains in recent months, particularly over their differing interpretations of World War II history. Other Topics of Interest ‘Music Keeps Me Going’: Conductor Natalia Ponomarchuk on War, Purpose and Ukraine’s Future One of Ukraine’s leading conductors, Natalia Ponomarchuk reflects on serving music in wartime, championing Ukrainian composers abroad, living between London and Kyiv, and her vision of Ukraine as a flourishing garden rather than only Europe’s shield. A major source of tension remains the Volhynia massacres, in which Ukrainian nationalists killed tens of thousands of ethnic Poles during World War II. Anti-Ukrainian sentiment has also risen, with Polish police receiving 180 reports of suspected hate crimes against Ukrainians in the first half of 2026, more than 30% higher than during the same period last year, according to a recent report. Sunday’s rallies were the latest in a series of public initiatives against anti-Ukrainian hostility. TVP World is Poland's first English-language channel where you can find our guest interviews, world news from the Polish perspective and the latest news from the CEE region.