Pro-Palestinian protesters heckle Holocaust memorial march at Auschwitz

A woman wears one of the yellow badges that appeared to resemble those that the Nazis forced Jews to wear – Omar Marques/Getty Images

Pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted a solemn remembrance march at the site of the Auschwitz concentration camp held to honour the victims of Nazi atrocities.

The demonstrators chanted slogans at the marchers, unfurling Palestinian flags and banners reading “stop genocide”.

Survivors of the Holocaust and the Oct 7 attack on Israel took part in the march on Monday, alongside thousands of others who came to reaffirm the vow “never again”.

Some protesters wore yellow badges in the shape of stars that appeared to resemble those that the Nazi authorities forced Jews to wear shortly after the German invasion of Poland in 1939.

In response to the protesters’ chants, participants in the march sang back “Am Yisrael Chai”, a Jewish solidarity anthem, the title of which means “the people of Israel live”.

Jules Koifman, a Canadian living in London who attended the march, said: “Pro-Palestinian protesters here at the Yom HaShoah ceremony, it’s really disgusting.

“It really shows that they’re here to continue what Hitler set out to do, that Hamas stands on the shoulders of the Nazi regime. We will never let that happen,” said Mr Koifman.

Pro-Palestinian protesters hold flags on the route of the annual International March of the Living, outside Auschwitz in Oswiecim, Poland, on Monday – Kuba Stezycki/REUTERS

Another march attendee, Alyssa Annis said: “It was a little bit disturbing, but at the same time, it is a sign of hope, because as we walked by, we walked by with our flags and in groups of people from all over the world, groups of people of all different religions.

“And so it’s even more proof, not only what they managed to do and they wanted to do here, they didn’t win, and that we are still here. And that humanity is still in existence.”

The remembrance march, called the International March of the Living, is an annual 3km silent walk between the former Auschwitz and Birkenau death camps.

Historians believe as many as 1.1 million people, including a million Jews, perished at Auschwitz between 1940 and 1945.

Participants display a large Israeli flag with the Star of David during the March of The Living to honour victims of the Holocaust at the Memorial and Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau on the site of the Auschwitz concentration camp in Oswiecim, Poland on Monday – WOJTEK RADWANSKI/AFP

Now in its 36th year, the march draws thousands of participants, including Holocaust survivors, politicians and students.

In response to Monday’s protest, its organisers said: “We marched today to give a voice to the six million victims of the Nazi’s industrial genocide of the Jewish people.

“We marched with survivors of the Nazi atrocities as well as survivors of Hamas’ crimes and families of those still held in captivity.

“The half a dozen protesters who perversely saw this as an opportunity to voice hatred against Israel and the Jewish people serve as a timely reminder of the importance of Holocaust education and remembrance and of teaching the dangers of hatred and extremism.”

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