Around 1,000 people took part in the nationalist march on Lithuania’s independence day on Sunday, marching in Vilnius with torches.
The march was organised by the nationalist youth organisation Pro Patria. Since 2018, they have been held in Vilnius, whereas previously they were held in Kaunas.
Vytautas Sinica, one of Pro Patria leaders and a parliament member, said the march was in commemoration of the State Restoration Day of February 16, but also a political rally to draw attention to “the problems of migration policy” and defence.
“The march also has a political message that we need to keep Lithuania Lithuanian,” Sinica told BNS. “Mass immigration is a context that makes us recall that this is not a given.
“The second point is defence. We are living in the context of the Munich Conference, [...] fateful decisions are being made. Europe and Lithuania will have to choose how to ensure the preservation of their statehood,” he continued.
On Sunday evening, the marchers gathered at the monument of Jonas Basanavičius, a signatory of the Act of February 16, and marched to Lukiškių Square.
Most were carrying torches, Lithuanian flags, Vytis flags, and wearing national symbols. People sang the national anthem and prayed before the procession.
Asta, a resident of Vilnius, told BNS that it was not her first time participating in the march and that she did it because her Lithuanian identity is very important to her.
“My grandfather was a volunteer in Smetona’s time and received an award from Smetona’s hands,” she said, referring to President Antanas Smetona, Lithuania’s authoritarian leader between 1926–1940. “My son is named Vytis, my mother’s name is Laisvė [Freedom]. Such names oblige.”
“I grew up in a family of political prisoners, and we used to sing the national anthem during holidays, quietly, of course, so that the neighbours wouldn’t hear it,” Gintaras, another participant of the march, a pensioner from Alytus, told BNS.
Adomas, a 23-year-old Kaunas resident, said he came to central Vilnius on Sunday evening because he believes in Lithuania as a nation state.
“As a nation, we decided that we want to have our own state. I am proud of that decision, I feel pride and I want to celebrate this date,” Gintaras told BNS.
Also participating in the march was Prince from Ghana who works as a bus driver in Vilnius.
He said he wanted to be part of the independence day celebrations.
“I came because I want to experience this event,” he told BNS.
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