Nawrocki to attend Warsaw Independence March on 11 November, organisers expect record turnout

The president's announcement

President Karol Nawrocki announced on Friday, 6 November, that he will take part in this year's Independence March in Warsaw, as he does every year. He posted the statement on X and attached a Polish flag emoji to it. The march takes place each year on 11 November, the anniversary of Poland's return to the map of Europe, and it has been organised by the Independence March association since 2010. He also attended the 2025 march.

In his post he wrote:

“On 11 November, at this special moment for Poland, I will, as every year, take part in the Independence March in Warsaw.”

Route and timing

The march is due to start at the Dmowski roundabout in Warsaw, and rmf24.pl gives the start time as 14:00. It then runs along Jerusalem Avenues and across the Poniatowski Bridge towards the meadows of the National Stadium (PGE Narodowy). Rzeczpospolita gives the departure as 14:30, so the start time differs between outlets.

The closing part, called the Independence Stage (Scena Niepodległości), is planned on the stadium meadows and will feature concerts and speeches. Organisers say the slogan refers to sovereignty, responsibility for security, culture and the future of coming generations.

Organisers expect a record crowd

Rafał Buca, spokesman for the association, told Rzeczpospolita that the number of coaches and participants travelling from towns on organised trips is three times the figure of last year, and that official trips are far more numerous. Organisers estimated last year's crowd at 300,000. Rzeczpospolita puts average attendance at about 200,000 and notes that figures differ depending on whether they come from organisers, police or the city hall.

Asked about this year's turnout, Buca declined to forecast precisely. He said perhaps half a million people, or even more, could come.

“It is hard for me to say how many participants will come this year.”

Political backdrop and slogans

The march is held under the slogan "Polak w Polsce gospodarzem" ("A Pole is the host in Poland"). Rzeczpospolita expects migration to feature prominently, along with the dispute over the Constitutional Tribunal, and slogans about leaving the European Union are possible. Buca described the association as an identity movement that wants a national state free of mass immigration. According to Rzeczpospolita, Jarosław Kaczyński, Mateusz Morawiecki, Krzysztof Bosak, Sławomir Mentzen and Grzegorz Braun are expected to attend, and Kaczyński and Braun have announced their presence.

Security and past incidents

Authorities have announced special security measures for 11 November. Carrying weapons, including unloaded ones, is to be banned that day. The Mazovian voivode has imposed a total ban on pyrotechnics. Interior and Administration Minister Marcin Kierwiński has instructed the services to ensure the gatherings proceed calmly, and officers will monitor the information space for disinformation. The capital is on heightened alert.

In the march's early years, incidents included flag burning, violence and discriminatory slogans, among them "Europa będzie biała, albo bezludna" ("Europe will be white, or deserted"). Police have recorded practically no such incidents in recent years, though TVP Info notes that political tensions could change this year. Robert Bąkiewicz, who led the association, was removed as its chairman in 2023.

Football fans are also mobilising. A banner reading "Tusk traitor to the nation" with a call to join the march was displayed at a Radomiak Radom match against Śląsk Wrocław, and similar actions were reported at games involving Cracovia, Wisła Płock and Lechia Gdańsk. Discussions on the Kibice.net forum show mobilisation, but they do not reveal how large the fan presence will be.

What happens next

The march takes place on Wednesday, 11 November. Turnout figures have not yet been published, and the final number of participants will depend on which source is used.