A Fidesz volunteer has been shot at with a gas pistol while knocking on doors during these final weeks before Hungary’s election in Szentendre, government spokesperson Eszter Vitályos, the region’s MP, said in a Facebook post.
“I just received the incredibly outrageous and shocking call that one of our volunteers, who knocks on houses in Szentendre, was shot at from a window,” said Eszter Vitályos, as quoted by Magyar Nemzet.
According to the government spokesperson, behind such cases lies political aggression and hatred, which she believes has intensified recently, placing the blame for such escalation squarely on Péter Magyar’s Tisza party.
“This is where Péter Magyar and the aggression and hatred that the Tisza Party has brought with it since its appearance lead,” Vitályos said.
“Enough of the violence! That’s it and no more!” her video post reads.
In another video, Vitályos called the activist in question, who reported that he had rung the bell of an apartment to collect signatures. After introducing himself, the owner of the apartment asked him to wait one moment.
He then leaned out the window and fired a shot with a gas pistol at the Fidesz volunteer.
Fortunately, he managed to escape and was not injured in any way. The ruling party politician asked the young man to file a police report.
Vitályos also posted a message to Péter Magyar: “A Fidesz activist was shot at today. According to Péter Magyar, it was just ‘a game.'” Vitályos went on to claim that Magyar said no one will believe this, that the incident was essentially a nothing burger. “Péter! Enough! This is where your months-long campaign of incitement and hatred is leading,” the Fidesz politician wrote.
According to Telex, Magyar also reacted, intimating that the incident was a lie or implicating Tisza in it was a lie. “Don’t lie, because Tisza is the party of peace. (…) We will not give in to your provocation,” he reportedly said.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán took time to phone the young man, after hearing about the incident and speaking to Vitályos. He also posted a video of his calls on Facebook, with the caption, “We cannot allow hatred and fear mongering to take hold in Hungary. This must end urgently!”
