Former Polish PM uses migrant's own video to promote anti-migration message
Former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki used footage in an anti-migration video that was actually filmed by an Iranian migrant who has lived in Poland for 11 years. The video's creator says her material was used without credit and in a completely different context than intended.
Former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki used footage shot by an Iranian migrant in a video promoting a safe Poland without migrants, the outlet Onet reports, as cited by Yevropeiska Pravda.
The footage was filmed near the Palace of Culture in Warsaw. It was originally posted online on August 22 by Sahar, an Iranian content creator who has lived in Poland for 11 years. Her video, captioned "Show that you're in Poland without saying you're in Poland," showed young people dancing the polonaise, with Sahar expressing admiration for Poland and noting that although no one had taught the steps, everyone knew what to do.
A few days later, Morawiecki posted his own version online, saying in English that there is no chaos, people can feel safe at night, and that he fights every day to ensure Poland never repeats the mistakes made by France, Germany and other Western countries.
Creator's response
Sahar responded, confirming that the footage used by the politician did indeed come from her video, though it was not credited and was used in a completely different context than the one in which it was filmed. She said what bothered her most was not the lack of credit but the shift in context — from an expression of admiration for Polish tradition and shared celebration to an illustration for a political message about migration.
Sahar said that after seeing the video she felt excluded, even though at the moment of filming she had felt like part of Polish society, not standing apart from it. She added that while she understands how complicated the topic of migration is, not every immigrant comes to take something away — many come to learn, work, contribute and build a life alongside others rather than in place of them. In a conversation with Onet, she also noted that she has observed rhetoric about foreigners in Poland becoming increasingly negative over the years.
As previously reported, in late July Morawiecki announced the creation of a new parliamentary faction, "Development Plus," in the Sejm following a split with the main opposition party, Law and Justice.
