Coronavirus-related incidents of xenophobia in Poland

Amid coronavirus, national governments of the EU member states implemented restrictive measures which directly or indirectly impact on mobility and migration. Although the principles of  political decisions were expected to be noble, aiming to protect lives during the pandemic, unfortunately, nationwide lockdowns posed a side effect on migrants and refugees The pandemic has changed the everyday life and interpersonal relations. Human rights and migrant organizations confirm that over the UE migrants face a rising tide of xenophobia and discrimination. 

Anti-Asian Racism and Xenophobia in Poland 
Since the nationwide epidemiological state entered into force in Poland, few cases of xenophobic incidents appeared in media. Joseph Exconde from Philippines lives in Poznan for four years and works in a surgical clinic. He has been attacked twice in April, when, during the night, large stones were thrown through the widows of his apartment.  He reported to the media service TVN24, that he never experienced such incidents earlier, but situation has changed since the outbreak of the coronavirus. “On the streets, people are shouting “corona!, corona!” to us. We are scared”, - Exconde said. 

Ola Dinh,  representative of the Vietnamese Community in Poland, during the radio broadcast for Polskie Radio RDC, told  about a rise in xenophobic attitudes and behaviour in Poland. She mentioned  few cases of verbal, physical attacks towards  members of her community. There's been a racist incident in Łuków in March, where young perpetrators attacked a Vietnamese woman, throwing stones and insulting her.  

Are you Ukrainian or Polish?
The other discriminatory incident happened in Szprotava, town in the Lubuskie voivodeship, where Ukrainians, employees of a nearby factory, were not allowed to enter the grocery shop. As the local media service related, the security guard asked one of the clients about his nationality and blocked the entry as the person stated that he is from Ukraine. Such incidents repeated few times.  It appeared, that  the police had informed the direction of the store that a group of Ukrainians broke the quarantine regime, introduced according to the Sanepid (The State Sanitary Inspection), and asked not to allow “any Ukrainian”  to enter the store. But none of the person stopped at the entrance violated the quarantine. 

A wave of xenophobia is sweeping, when migrants and refugees in all EU members states give examples of solidarity and support. Syrian refugees in Germany and refugee women from Chechnya in Poland sew masks for care homes, emergency services and hospitals, migrants from Ukraine or  Moldova take care for the elderly in Italy, Vietnamese community cook and provide support to hospitals in Poland, refugee doctors from Libya and Syria volunteer in France and these are only few examples of heroic participation of migrants and refugees communities during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Kseniya Homel 
NIEM’s National Advocacy Officer
The European and Migration Policy Programme
Institute of Public Affairs

Resources: 
COVID-19 stoking xenophobia, hate and exclusion, minority rights expert warns, [30.03.2020]. 
COVID-19 and xenophobia: Why outbreaks are often accompanied by racism, [06.03.2020].
Jest sprawa: Koronawiurs i ksenofobia. Czy pandemia wywołuje agresję na tle rasowym?, [14.04.2020]. 
Wybili kamieniami szyby Filipińczykowi z Poznania. Plują na nas i krzyczą: "korona!", "korona!", [24.04.2020].
Łuków: Rasistowski napad na Wietnamkę. Chuligani rzucali w nią kamieniami i wyzywali, [20.03.2020]. 
Awantura pod Biedronką w Szprotawie. Ochrona nie wpuściła Ukraińca do sklepu. Interweniowała policja, [08.04.2020]. 
Syrian refugees in Germany: Helping with hearts and hands, [01.05.2020]. 
'If France needs us, we're ready:' Migrant healthcare workers want to aid the fight against COVID-19, [24.04.2020].