Polish president reportedly greets convicted neo-Nazi during pilgrimage to Częstochowa

Supported by Poland’s right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party, President Karol Nawrocki has reportedly interacted with a controversial football gang leader during a religious pilgrimage, drawing criticism in Poland. 

Polish President Karol Nawrocki attending a pilgrimage in Częstochowa, southern Poland, 10 January 2026.

Photo: PAP/Waldemar Deska

Over the past weekend, during the pilgrimage to Częstochowa - a city regarded as one of Poland’s most important religious sites - President Nawrocki was said to have greeted Tomasz P., known as "Dragon," the leader of the Jagiellonia Białystok fan gang.

Nawrocki’s encounter with convicted neo-Nazi raises concerns

Tomasz P. has a long criminal history and is currently awaiting a second-instance court ruling following a 2024 conviction for gang leadership, promoting extremist ideology, and assault, according to Polish news outlet Wirtualna Polska.

Szymon Jadczak, a journalist at Wp.pl, says that in 2024 prosecutors seized materials endorsing Nazism and racism from Tomasz P.’s home.

‼️WAŻNE‼️PODAJ DALEJ‼️ ❌Prezydent Karol Nawrocki spotkał się wczoraj i serdecznie wyściskał z szefem gangu kiboli...

Opublikowany przez Szymon Jadczak dziennikarz Niedziela, 11 stycznia 2026

The annual pilgrimage of football fans to Częstochowa, intended to celebrate Christian values such as charity, compassion, and community, became controversial after the encounter with Tomasz P., a figure with a history of multiple convictions and involvement in organised fan violence.

Read more on this topic:

• Polish presidential candidate denies neo-Nazi ties, but prison records tell a different story
• PiS presidential candidate vouched for a Polish skinhead linked to neo-Nazis
• Nawrocki's Institute of National Remembrance linked to controversial event sponsored by neo-fascist website

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Source: Wp.pl/Facebook.com/SzymonJadczakmedia