Grzegorz Braun, a far-right Polish politician from the Confederation party, caused outrage by using a fire extinguisher to put out Hanukkah candles during a ceremony in the country’s parliament. The event was being held with members of the Jewish community to celebrate the holiday.
In a shocking incident at the Polish Parliament building in Warsaw on December 12, right-wing lawmaker Grzegorz Braun, a member of the Confederation party, extinguished the candles of a menorah during a Hanukkah celebration. The event, captured on video by a Polish politician news outlet, revealed Braun using a red fire extinguisher to put out the flames. Later filling the parliamentary chamber with a white haze.
The incident caused a delay in a vote of confidence for Donald Tusk. A centrist politician was nominated as prime minister the day before, marking the end of an eight-year right-wing rule in Poland. Tensions were already high between Tusk’s goals and those of the Law and Justice party, which controlled Parliament until this week.
Braun’s actions intensified the strain in the country’s Parliament. It drew attention to global tensions since the Israel-Gaza war erupted in October. Braun, a member of Parliament since 2019, was barred from participating in the parliamentary session and will face financial penalties.
Outrageous Reactions
The speaker of the Parliament, Szymon Holownia, condemned Braun’s behavior as “absolutely scandalous“. Braun’s party disapproved of his actions on social media. Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś of Poland’s Catholic Church publicly expressed shame, apologizing to the Jewish community in Poland.
In response to the incident, Braun, known for his controversial statements, labeled Hanukkah as “satanic.” This is not the first time he has courted controversy. In 2019, he protested Poland’s compensation for Jewish Holocaust survivors and repeated conspiracies about Poland becoming a “Jewish state.”
Political science professor Steven Fish noted that incidents like these align with a concerning trend of rising antisemitism. In addition, particularly among populist right-wing political forces. The Israel-Gaza war’s onset further unleashed antisemitic sentiments across Europe. With recent reports of attacks on synagogues and vandalism involving menorahs.
U.S. Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski condemned Braun’s actions as an “outrageous act,” emphasizing the need to remain vigilant against antisemitism. Despite Braun’s attempt to extinguish the menorah, Poland’s Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich reassured that the candles were relit within minutes, stating, “Our enemies should learn, they cannot extinguish us.“
