Braun, now a member of the European Parliament, organized a demonstration under the slogan “This is Poland, not Polin,” which employs the Hebrew name for Poland (Polin) in an attempt to imply that Jews are attempting to control the country. Despite these protests, Poland’s parliament has continued its tradition of inviting Jewish leaders to celebrate Hanukkah, with the ceremony today attended by the Speaker of the Senate, Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, and Poland’s Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich, who together lit the Hanukkah candles, according to a local report.
Ahead of the event, Szymon Hołownia, Speaker of the Sejm (the lower house of parliament), reaffirmed that "parliament is and will remain a hospitable place," adding that Poland's parliament would continue to welcome all national and religious minorities, just as it celebrates Christian holidays like Christmas.
Before the Holocaust, Poland was home to approximately 3.5 million Jews, about 10% of the country’s population. Today, the Jewish community in Poland has dwindled to around 16,000, according to the latest census.
Meanwhile, outside parliament, dozens of Braun's supporters gathered, some carrying fire extinguishers as a reference to last year’s incident. Braun, a member of the far-right Confederation of the Polish Crown party, was charged in April with insulting a religious group for his actions during last year’s Hanukkah event. He faced the possibility of a prison sentence but regained immunity after being elected to the European Parliament. Justice Minister Adam Bodnar has since requested that Braun’s European immunity be lifted, with the request still under consideration by the European Parliament.
Braun addressed his supporters, expressing antisemitic conspiracy theories and claiming that Jews have been teaching "non-Jews" to "serve like animals" for 2,000 years. His remarks targeted those participating in Hanukkah celebrations, suggesting that they were complicit in a supposed Jewish agenda. His comments included references to the ongoing conflict in Gaza and inflammatory rhetoric against Jewish people.
In recent weeks, Braun’s party has been displaying billboards around Poland with the message: “Hanukkah or Christmas? Europe, the choice is yours!” These actions have sparked criticism from various Polish political figures, including members of the ruling coalition, who have condemned Braun’s rhetoric.
Health Minister Izabela Leszczyna, speaking to broadcaster Polsat, noted that “unfortunately, Poland, like other European countries, is not free from parties that are antisemitic, nationalist, and populist.”
In response to last year's attack on the Hanukkah celebration, a second ceremony was held in solidarity with the Jewish community, attended by politicians across the political spectrum, including President Andrzej Duda. The continued celebrations in parliament highlight Poland's commitment to supporting religious diversity despite ongoing far-right opposition.
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