Steven N.Several hundred people showed up on Saturday for an extreme right-wing commemoration banned by police that nevertheless led to a number of arrests, reports HVG.
The Budapest Police Headquarters (BRFK) announced on Friday that it had banned three gatherings planned to be held at the Buda Castle’s Vienna Gate to commemorate the so-called “Day of Honor.”
The “Day of Honor” commemorates an attempt on February 11, 1945 by encircled German and Hungarian troops in the Buda Castle to break out and attempt to reach the German front line. The day is usually considered one of the largest annual events for the Hungarian far-right.
Despite the ban, participants began showing up for the event anyway. At first, only 30-40 people appeared at the gathering that had been advertised to start at 1:00pm on Saturday, but their numbers gradually swelled to several hundred.
HVG reported that some participants even came from Germany for the event, and that Federal Police in Frankfurt had stopped two German neo-Nazis from traveling to Budapest for the “Day of Honor” commemorations.
During the day, police stopped and inspected 301 people in Districts I, II, and XII. Six people were arrested for possession of a device especially dangerous to public safety, and three men were arrested for disorderly conduct.
In a presumably-related incident, District II Mayor Gergely Őrsi also wrote on Facebook that three innocent persons had been attacked in Buda on Saturday “for no reason,” with the “attackers driven merely by extremist ideologies.” Police detained the suspects of this attack, noted the Mayor.
The “Day of Honor” is a major event in European Neo-Nazi circles and policing in Hungary satisfies only formal demands, but it doesn’t prevent the demonstration.
It wouldn’t be allowed anywhere else in the EU.
Another grand display of disregard for EU-politics by Hungary.
These shows of “Hungary For Hungarians Only” are a priority for Orbán, since they add to his popularity and the Neo-Nazi connections are vital in that respect.
Thanks Michael for comment. My sadly deceased nephew in Budapest used to say something similar regarding the allowance of this neo- nazi demonstration in Budapest. Some American readers may not understand that Germany and Hungary (and others) should never allow such demonstrations given the Shoah. Germany as we both know- in general- does a good job, especially compared to Hungary.
Of course, the regime attacks on Ukraine, NATO and the EU, while being protected by both NATO and the EU are equally unpardonable regime “traditions”. For examples, the group of nine meeting shortly after President Biden’s speech in Warsaw, let alone after the surprise visit to Kiev was notable for Orbáns absence and relative silence by Hungary’s President (who attended in place of Orbán). Shameful.