Tisza Party vice president attacked with 8-inch-long knife at public forum

A knife attack at an opposition political forum in western Hungary targeting the vice president of Tisza Party has intensified concerns about rising tensions ahead of the campaign season.

Knife attack against Tisza Party vice president

According to Péter Magyar, leader of the Tisza Party, a man armed with a 20–30 cm (8-12 inches) blade attempted to assault the party’s deputy chairman, Márk Radnai, during a public event in Kesztölc. Police intervened swiftly, detaining the suspect in handcuffs at the scene. No serious injuries were reported. Magyar, who arrived late to a campaign stop in Szentgotthárd due to the incident, condemned the attack and warned of an increasingly hostile political atmosphere.

Magyar calls for leaders to condemn violence

As 24.hu reported, in his speech, Magyar urged Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and President Tamás Sulyok to take a clear stand against political violence. He also revealed that he himself had previously received death threats, including threats of beheading. Despite this, he called on supporters to remain calm and avoid responding to provocations.

PM Orbán spoke softly to opposition voters, while Péter Magyar addressed recent government scandals.

Broader criticism of government and local issues

Beyond the incident, Magyar used the rally to criticise government spending and alleged corruption, highlighting controversial renovation costs linked to the Hungarian National Bank under former governor György Matolcsy. He also raised environmental concerns over a large illegal tyre dump near the Austrian border, describing it as one of the region’s most serious ecological issues.

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There was an other attack aimed at Tisza members

Recently a similar serious incident occurred on 31 January, in Debrecen, where volunteers of 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.