Robert Winnicki. (Wikimedia)
June 6, 2019 By Laura Hanrahan
A Polish nationalist politician whose previously planned appearances at two catholic churches in Brooklyn were canceled following community pushback, set up shop at a Greenpoint restaurant last night.
Robert Winnicki, leader of Poland’s nationalist political party, the National Movement, spoke to a full house inside of the Greenpoint Avenue restaurant French Epi. Journalists were barred from entering the restaurant during the event, the City reported.
Polish nationalist politician Robert Winnicki speaking in small restaurant in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The fascism is strong with this one. pic.twitter.com/iYvXyEdV6w
— Vegas Tenold (@Vegastenold) June 5, 2019
Winnicki, known for his strong right-wing, nationalistic views, was originally slated to appear at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Greenpoint and St. Frances de Chantal in Borough Park along with Polish historian Ewa Kurek, who has previously claimed that the Jewish people were complicit in the Nazi occupation of Poland.
Dozens of activists and local elected officials, including City Council Member Stephen Levin and State Senator Julia Salazar, sent a letter to Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio on Monday urging him to not allow Kurek to speak.
“We believe the Church should stand up for the common good, working towards a more loving cohesive society while remaining neutral within such mired politics,” the letter reads.
DiMarzio quickly canceled the church events, stating that he had not initially been aware of who the speakers were.
Following last night’s restaurant appearance, French Epi’s Yelp page has been flooded with one-star reviews condemning the establishment for hosting Winnicki.
“If you like to eat at a restaurant that hosts white supremacists and serves mediocre French food – this is the spot!” one review says.
“The food is fine, but it comes with a side of bigotry,” another reviewer wrote.
French Epi did not respond to requests for comment.
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17 Comments
I’m going to go eat there now. Thank you for promoting free speech French Epi! And yes a MAGA event would be great!
The problem is nobody asked French Epi owner and manager if any kind of meeting can be hosted there. Winnicki and his followers just came in, filled up the venue and ignored requests to leave the place. French Epi became a victim of nationalist propaganda and views of that white-supremacist man. It’s incredible, he was allowed to enter the United States, as his racist and supremacist views are widely know even from his speeches in Polish Parliament.
Couldn’t believe your ignorance and lock of minimum knowledge what Polish National Movement it is… educate yourself before speak!
Poland First..God, Honor, Fatherland! That’s what we stand for.
We don’t need fascists.
Check Poland history first then make comments. Find out how Jews did welcome Soviet Army after Sept. 17,1939.
Check Poland’s history first, then make comments. Find out how Jews were treated by Poles and why they got fooled by the Soviet propaganda, which promised equality. Also, check how Jews contributed for centuries to Ojczyzna’s wealth and peace. You are nothing but an ignoramus.
Just who is the fascist here? Sounds like people that don’t tolerate another point of view instead of the programmed hive mode they seem like the intolerant ones!
kicking someone out of your restaurant for terrible behavior is “fascism” oh my god you have NO idea what that word means
Interesting…I had been considering trying this restaurant with the odd name, but now I’ll boycott it and make sure I spread the word, about the right wing sympathizers who own/run that place. If you really have those beliefs you should have stayed in Poland. Here, we fought and died to stop Fascism and we won’t soon forget that!
Black Forest Iced Cake
The polish deputy Robert Winnicki, at a meeting in this restaurant, where Polish crowds gathered, spoke about patriotism, that Romantic uprisings weren’t good because a lot of brave people were killed. He said that in politics Poland musn’t be a sucker (country to laugh and beat). Poland should maneuver in order to get the most benefit for itself, not to kneel and ask. He said that first at all it is necessary to organize its own country, and then to fight on the international field to defend Polish interests. He spoke about raising children and young people to be good people and good Poles. He spoke about freedom and truth, which is more and more prohibited in the world!
His speech was considered as hate speech! Free country righht?
Whatever that nationalist leader (yes, he does avoid to be called nationalist in Polish media) did and said in Brooklyn, he made the worst possible testimony about Poles and Poland. If he ridiculed himself, I do not care.
Additionally, he and his followers simply invade French Epi which was surprised. Nobody asked them if a such number of folks can invade the place and if they can run such political activity. Is it really Polish model of behavior when one Pole comes, invades a business and jeopardizes its future? Will Winnicki and his followers do anything to help French Epi regain their name and opinions in Yelp and facebook? I’m sure he does not, because it is beyond his nationalist and radical right activist capacity and morality.
Most of Winnicki’s speeches are often recognized as hate speech. As a Polish, I feel ashamed such a creature did so much harm to my country and my people in such a short time (including an attempt to exploit Catholic Churches as tools in his political campaign
First, learn the rules of English grammar. Then stop spreading fascist propaganda. Polish National Movement is a shame and insult to the whole country of Poland.
update ?
https://thecity.nyc/2019/06/brooklyn-bistro-owner-says-far-right-polish-pol-duped-her.html
As David Bentley Hart once wrote, journalism is the art of translating abysmal ignorance into execrable prose. And here, ladies and gentlemen, we have before us no ordinary, run of the mill journalism, but the creme de la creme of the Greenpoint intelligentsia! We must therefore speak in reverent and hushed tones and prostrate ourselves before the magnificence of this august journal for the ages…
But enough with the paeans to the Greenpoint elite. Dear author, you have not listed a single thing to corroborate your rather serious accusations.
What’s next French Epi – a MAGA rally?
It’s sad to see last gasp of the old guard in Poland, trying to undermine that fledgling democracy, and trying to spread its ultra-right wing bigotry & nationalist poison here.
However in Poland, just as in America, the young will evenually correct the sins of their elders.
your comment indicates that you are a complete ignorant, that you have no idea of Poland’s history and what Polish nationalism means. Type “Jewish Nazi Colaborators” and you will find some facts. And the broadly used term “far right” is abused in this case. That is the label that leftists are using against people that have conservative, traditional views. Be worried about Antifa, a terrorist organization, not about normally thinking people. Educate yourself before you critisize anybody.
Poland is the OLDEST European democracy in modern times(first democratic Constitution in Europe) temporarily occupied by the commies of judeosoviet extraction (1945-1989). It’s time you started referring to Poland as a former monarchy (which she was for centuries) and not a “former communist country” which Poland was invaded and occupied by against the will, culture and nature of her People.