Poles mark Independence Day with patriotic ceremonies

Poland's president and other officials across the country laid wreaths and joined other patriotic events on Independence Day, a holiday that has been overshadowed in recent years by marches organized by far-right nationalists.

Throughout the day, observances, Masses, marathons and historic reconstructions are being held in cities and small towns to commemorate the nation's statehood regained at the end of World War I, after 123 years of foreign rule.

However, for several years most media attention has gone to the nationalist marches.

Last year, for the 100-year anniversary of Polish independence, President Andrzej Duda and other top leaders marched ahead of the nationalists in Warsaw. But they are not taking part in this year's march on Monday afternoon in Warsaw.

The symbol of this year's march is of a raised fist holding a rosary, which organizers call a symbol of Roman Catholic resistance against growing calls for gay rights and other liberal values.

Several years ago the marches were marked by rioting, though no longer. Two years ago, some participants carried banners with white supremacist slogans. However, tens of thousands of people people, some with their children, also join the yearly march now, considering it a show of patriotism, and are either unaware or not bothered by the far-right nationalism of the organizers.

The participation of top government leaders last year was seen as an attempt by the conservative ruling party, Law and Justice, to curry the favor of nationalists on the hard right in order to prevent them from forming a political party that would drain away some of its voters.

That strategy failed. In October, a far-right party called Confederation won 7% and entered parliament for the first time.