Repercussions of anti-immigrant onslaught

A left-wing columnist suspects that a violent attack in the town of Szeged was motivated by the government’s anti-immigrant rhetoric. A pro-government commentator dismisses the accusation, and claims that many such incidents happened before the current dispute over immigration.

Last Saturday a man shouting anti-immigrant slogans attacked and beat up a young couple in Szeged. While attempting to defend her half Cuban boyfriend – who came to Hungary at the age of one – a young girl suffered serious injuries. Since then, the offender suspected of hate crime has been identified and put into custody.

In Népszava, György Sebes comments on the brutal attack, and suggests that the racist assault was motivated by the government’s anti-immigrant messages and measures . “The government’s rhetoric increases hatred towards everyone who looks different,” the left-wing columnist holds. “Rednecks who heard from the Prime Minister that the borders and assets of Hungary need to be protected from immigrants infiltrating the country think they need to use violence,” Sebes continues.

Zsolt Bayer in his blog finds nauseating the accusation that the government is responsible for the violent attack. The pro-government pundit underlines that it is absolutely unacceptable and horrible that prejudiced “jerks” beat anyone, particularly women. Bayer insists that left-liberal commentators are mistaken when they explain the violent act on the government’s immigration messages. There have been dozens of anti-immigrant attacks in the past, Bayer writes. The “zombies” that “attack blacks, Gypsies and anyone they do not like the look of,” find their targets regardless of the government’s plans to erect a fence on the border – or the presence of immigrants, Bayer concludes.

Tags: crime, hate speech, immigration, racism