Sunday June 20th 2021
Attack against France’s professionals
Hungarian fans “honor” bad reputation
International understanding is one of the goals of international sport. Some of the fans at the European Championship games in Budapest, Hungary, seem to have a problem with this. They have reportedly targeted and racially insulted opposing players. One group in particular comes into focus.
The stadium in Budapest was almost completely filled, and the game between hosts Hungary and world champions France was an exciting one. The outsider surprised with the lead, the Equipe Tricolore equalized, but struggled in vain for the winning goal and had to make do with a disappointing 1: 1 (0: 1) on the second match day of EM Group F. It looked like a football festival, the Puskas-Arena has so far been the one with the most visitors to this tournament. But among the more than 55,000 who cheered the footballers there, there were apparently also some who massively oppose the unifying ideal of such a European championship.
Those, for example, who massively insulted French footballers around this draw. When Kylian Mbappé touched the ball, monkeys could be heard from the stands, according to a reporter from the German Press Agency. Which would constitute an undoubtedly racist attack. Mbappé’s strike partner Karim Benzema has also been verbally abused with suspected similar intentions.
The Cologne “Express” also reported that a larger group of the “Carpathian Brigade” could be made out among the Hungarian fans. This coincides with pictures from the stadium, on which a corresponding banner is prominently placed. Just like on the first group match day, the 3-0 draw against Portugal, when some of them even “frankly presented the Hitler salute” according to “Express”. The online medium “Vice” had already dealt with the “Carpathian Brigade” in 2016. The interviewee at the time was Balint Josa, founder of the organization “Szubjektív Értékek Alapítvány” (“Foundation for Subjective Values”), which worked closely with the European network FARE – Football Against Racism in Europe – recognized by UEFA and FIFA.
Josa described the group as “a paramilitary group made up of neo-Nazis. They are the most violent and influential group on the curve. As the name suggests, they want the old territories and borders of Greater Hungary back”. Although the majority of fans do not share this thinking, Josa says: “I think less than ten percent are right-wing extremists,” but “the big problem is that the loudest, strongest and most visible hooligans and ultras are all neo-Nazis “. So a minority, but apparently an influential and high-profile one.
.