Tens of thousands of nationalists and right-wingers marched through the centre of Poland’s capital, Warsaw, on the country’s independence day on Monday.

The participants in what was dubbed the Independence March waved flags in the country’s national colours of white and red and lit torches.

According to the PAP news agency, demonstrators chanted slogans such as ‘God, honour and homeland’ and ‘Honour and glory to the heroes’.

During the rally, the city council banned weapons, pyrotechnics and drone flights, and police were on high alert.

Officers arrested more than 70 people and confiscated fireworks, knives and batons.

Official commemorative events were also held in the city, including wreath-laying ceremonies.

President Andrzej Duda thanked Poland’s U.S. allies in a speech for their support in the face of Russian imperialism.

“It is wishful thinking when some people think that Europe is today in a position to guarantee its own security,” he warned.

Poland has been a member of NATO since 1999.

Mr Duda also called for Ukraine to regain control of its territory, including the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014.

November 11 is celebrated as a national holiday in Poland.

On this day in 1918, Józef Piłsudski assumed supreme command of Polish troops in Warsaw and proclaimed independence.

This coincided with the conclusion of the armistice between Germany and France.

The peace treaties after World War I ended the long division of Poland between Prussia, Austria-Hungary, and Russia. 

(dpa/NAN)