Antisemitic Atrocities and Sports Riots in Budapest

In September 1960, several antisemitic incidents took place in Budapest, primarily manifesting as riots around sports matches and a targeted attempted attack. On September 17, brawls broke out in the stands during the MTK–FTC game, where spectators also set paper on fire and insulted players. Following the MTK–Honvéd game on September 21 and the Dózsa–FTC match on September 25, crowds directed antisemitic insults at players and referees, fueled by the perception of MTK as a "Jewish team". On September 21, tensions escalated further when a group of youth attempted an organized attack against students of the Rabbinical Seminary, which was ultimately thwarted by police intervention. In response, the Ministry of the Interior introduced strict retaliation and preventive measures: dozens of perpetrators were detained, and for the duration of future matches, leading troublemakers were kept away from stadiums through mandatory police summons.