Thousands of Far-Right Extremists and Neo-Nazis March in Budapest, Some Displaying Russian Z Symbols

Thousands gathered in Budapest on February 8 for an annual WWII-related commemoration organized by far-right groups, while anti-fascist activists held a nearby protest against the global rise of far-right movements, The Japan Times reported on February 9.

Each year, hundreds of right-wing extremists and neo-Nazis from across Europe gather in Budapest to commemorate the failed attempt by Nazi German and Hungarian troops to break through the Soviet army’s siege of the city in 1945.

According to the news agency, journalists estimated that around 4,000 people participated in the “memorial hike” from Buda Castle late Saturday, with some wearing far-right insignia and Nazi uniforms.

“Yesterday, a large neo-Nazi march took place in Budapest, featuring participants wearing SS insignia and uniforms, as well as the Russian ‘Zwastika ,’” the Telegram channel Ukraine 365 Russian wrote on February 9.

“We march in silence to physically experience the suffering of our ancestors,” Zsolt, a 33-year-old insurance broker said, declining to give his full name.

Both the commemoration and the anti-fascist counter-demonstration remained peaceful, the outlet added.

Additionally, a few hundred anti-fascist activists held a protest nearby, closely monitored by a heavy police presence. Officers deployed drones, police dogs, and special operations vehicles to oversee the event.

One of the protesters, retiree Julia Zsolnay, emphasized the importance of demonstrating “with the resurgence of fascism in Germany, not to mention Austria, and the whole world heading for a terrible fate.”

On February 2, far-right Romanian politician Călin Georgescu, who won the now-nullified first round of Romania’s presidential election, stated that his remarks about the potential annexation of “Romanian lands” within Ukraine were purely theoretical. He also added that Romanian politicians have the right to discuss this possibility.