summary of incident
An antisemitic attack occurred on April 6, 2025, at the Babati rest area on the M3 highway in Pest County, where two Romanian men, aged 30 and 47, assaulted Austrian Hasidic Jewish pilgrims en route to Bodrogkeresztúr, in a hate‑motivated verbal and physical attack.
Details of incident
During the attack on April 6, 2025, at the Babati rest area, the two Romanian men approached a group of Austrian Hasidic Jewish pilgrims who were taking a break on their journey to Bodrogkeresztúr. The assailants began with verbal harassment, using antisemitic slurs and derogatory remarks aimed at the pilgrims’ religious attire. Witnesses reported that the men aggressively confronted the group, leading to a violent altercation. As tensions escalated, the situation turned physical, leading to several pilgrims being injured.
Following the attack, the victims notified the police, received medical examinations, and filed a formal complaint. The two Romanian men were apprehended by Pest County detectives, questioned as suspects for the felony of Violence against a member of a community, and taken into custody. Authorities also initiated proceedings for their pre-trial detention. On April 10, 2025, the Budakörnyéki District Court’s investigating judge ordered the detention of both suspects until May 9, 2025, pending further proceedings. The prosecution accepted the ruling, while the suspects and their legal representatives filed appeals. The court order, though not final, is enforceable.
Context of incident
Following the Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel on 7 October 2023 and the subsequent war, antisemitic incidents increased sharply across Europe, including in Germany, France, and Austria. In Hungary, while violent antisemitic incidents remained relatively limited, antisemitic hate speech and conspiracy narratives continued to be widespread.
