BUDAPEST (JTA) — A Hungarian court ordered a national organization to close because it intimidated minorities.
The Metropolitan Court of Budapest on Tuesday dissolved the right-wing Hungarian Guard Association, saying "The Guard’s goal is to threaten people. Its activities in villages populated by the Gypsy minority, its members’ marching as well as the speeches of its leaders hurt other people’s rights."
The court was referring to a recent Guard march in a central Hungarian city.
The organization’s activities also violated the NGO Law and the association’s by-laws, and also have threatened Jews and other minorities. One Hungarian Guard leader called Jews "Zionist rats," "locusts" and "nation destroyers" during a recent public speech. The Guard has held several marches since 2000, wearing replicas of Nazi uniforms.
The Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities had raised concerns over the Guard several times and participated in the yearlong lawsuit against the organization.
The court dismissed the Hungarian Guard Association but not the Hungarian Guard Movement and the self-defense company under the same name. Gabor Vona, the president of all three organizations, told the Index internet magazine after the trial, "the Hungarian Guard cannot be dissolved. It will continue its nation-saving and society-rescuer activities in the future."
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
