Shocking: Man grabbed an axe and chased Tisza Party activists

A serious incident occurred on Friday in Debrecen, where volunteers of the opposition Tisza Party were threatened and chased with an axe while campaigning in a residential building. The incident triggered strong reactions across the political spectrum, including condemnation from the city’s Fidesz-led leadership.

Tisza Party activists were attacked by a man with an axe

According to Tisza Party leader Péter Magyar, the attack took place in a housing estate in Debrecen while two young volunteers were door-knocking. In a Facebook post, Magyar claimed that a man became aggressive after encountering the activists, verbally abusing them and calling them “traitors”, reports Telex.

Despite the volunteers attempting to de-escalate the situation by moving several floors down the building, the man returned armed with an axe and chased them through the stairwell.

A video shared by Magyar appears to show the activists fleeing downstairs while shouting at their pursuer. Another voice can be heard in the background, though the words are unclear. Magyar stated that the volunteers were left in shock and that eight police officers, equipped with shields, arrived at the scene and detained the suspect.

They tried to avoid confrontation, but the man still chased them

One of the affected volunteers later spoke in a video published by a local Tisza Party parliamentary candidate. He said the man had warned them to leave immediately or he would “come back with an axe and drive them out”. The volunteers decided to avoid confrontation and continued their activity elsewhere in the building, but the man soon reappeared carrying the weapon.

According to Tisza representatives, the suspect has since been taken away by police. The party also claimed the man may be a teacher, though this has not been officially confirmed.

Magyar called on Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to publicly address what he described as escalating political aggression, and urged President Tamás Sulyok to comment on the case. He also demanded that Fidesz candidates in Hajdú-Bihar county clearly distance themselves from the incident.

Local Fidesz politicians responded

Debrecen’s Fidesz mayor, László Papp, condemned the attack in a social media post, stating that violence in any form (verbal or physical) is unacceptable both in public life and in private. He emphasised that political participation deserves respect regardless of party affiliation and urged restraint as elections approach.

Deputy Mayor Diána Széles also responded, rejecting online speculation that the attacker was linked to Fidesz. While condemning the incident, she added that she herself had received a serious threatening message on the same day and called on Tisza Party representatives to distance themselves from all forms of political intimidation.

Featured image: Facebook/Péter Magyar