Hatvan, Hungary – January 31, 2026 – Prime Minister Viktor Orbán publicly labeled protesters who disrupted a political forum as “criminals,” igniting a firestorm of criticism and prompting legal threats from those involved. The incident underscores growing tensions surrounding political discourse and accusations of inflammatory rhetoric.
Orbán Accuses Protesters of Criminal Behavior
The prime minister’s comments have sparked outrage and accusations of stigmatization, with one protester vowing to pursue legal action.
- Orbán described protesters as a “gang” attempting to intimidate supporters at a political meeting in Hatvan.
- Katalin Sipos, a Roma mother who participated in the protest, says she was deeply hurt by the prime minister’s accusations.
- Sipos is preparing to take legal action, arguing the label is humiliating and exclusionary.
Speaking at a DPK meeting in Hatvan on Saturday, Orbán stated, “Criminals, organized into a gang, go to a peaceful meeting on behalf of a party and make trouble there with the aim of intimidating the Fidesz people, I’ve never seen anything like this before.” This statement followed a protest at a forum led by János Lázár in Gyöngyös on Thursday, where participants were demonstrating against earlier remarks made by Lázár.
What is the government’s response to the protests? According to those involved, the government is attempting to discredit protesters by labeling them as criminals, a tactic they see as a deliberate attempt at stigmatization. They argue that the government has done little to address the concerns of the Roma community in recent years, instead resorting to what they describe as “racist statements.”
Katalin Sipos, a mother of Roma origin who participated in the Gyöngyös protest, shared her emotional response with RTL. “I cried all morning, my mom called me and said that I brought shame on them,” she said. Sipos believes the government’s characterization of protesters as criminals is a deliberate attempt to undermine their message.
Sipos told RTL that she finds it “humiliating and exclusionary” that the prime minister would refer to the protesters as criminals and is now preparing to take legal action in response. The situation highlights the sensitive nature of political debate and the potential consequences of inflammatory language.
