Hungary urges EU to classify Antifa as terrorist organization

ISTANBUL

Hungary on Saturday called on the EU to follow the US in designating Antifa as a terrorist organization, citing a series of violent incidents allegedly linked to the far-left movement across Europe.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in a letter addressed to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas that Antifa poses a “grave threat to the security of the citizens of the European Union and its Member States.”

“Individuals and groups linked to the so-called Antifa ideology have carried out numerous terrorist attacks across the European Union, including in Germany, France, and Italy,” he wrote.

Szijjarto recalled that in February 2023, affiliates of Antifa allegedly conducted five “brutal assaults” in broad daylight in Budapest.

He lamented that several suspects later avoided justice by finding refuge in EU member states that declined to extradite them, while another gained immunity after being elected to the European Parliament.

“These appalling acts illustrate beyond doubt that the Antifa movement constitutes a grave threat,” he added, stressing the need for a stronger collective EU response.

The minister also pointed to US President Donald Trump’s recent decision to classify Antifa as a “major terrorist organisation.”

He said Hungary was convinced that on such a significant issue, “alignment with the United States -- the world’s leading actor in the fight against terrorism -- is indispensable.”

Szijjarta urged the EU to add Antifa to its list of terrorist organizations and impose restrictive measures on individuals and groups connected to it.