Seven anti-fascists from the Budapest-Complex have turned themselves in to the authorities
Events at the Budapest Complex have been coming to a peak since the beginning of 2025.
Today, on January 20, 2024, almost two years after the events in Budapest on the so-called “Day of Honor,” seven of the anti-fascists who had gone into hiding turned themselves in to the German authorities. Not all of the activists who had gone into hiding decided to take this step.
Budapest-Complex
The anti-fascists are accused of participating in attacks on German, Polish and Hungarian neo-Nazis in Budapest in February 2023. The background to this was one of the most important neo-Nazi events in Europe, where the Waffen SS and the Wehrmacht are glorified every year.
Both Hungarian and German authorities have since initiated preliminary proceedings. The defendants are accused of dangerous bodily harm and, as in the Antifa-Ost-Complex, membership of a criminal organization. At the request of Germany and Hungary, European arrest warrants were issued in addition to German national ones.
The investigations were accompanied by massive propaganda and agitation on the part of Hungarian neo-Nazis and the Hungarian press. Photos with the names and addresses of the antifascists were published and a call was made for a hunt for them. This was taken up by German neo-Nazis and the Springer press and spread further in Germany. The LKA Saxony, the SOKO-LinX and the Office for the Protection of the Constitution are leading the investigation against the anti-fascists. Already in connection with the Antifa-Ost-Complex, absurd threat scenarios of a new RAF and left-wing terror were propagated.
Massive Repression
In addition to the political agitation and public hunt, family, friends and activists around the wanted have been subjected to massive repression in the last two years. This included over twenty house searches and SEK operations, observations, wiretaps, attempts to recrute…!
But that’s not all. The pressure was massively increased by the brutal arrest of Maja in December 2023 and Majas abduction and extradition to autocratic Hungary in June 2024. The arrest of Hanna in May 2024 and the filing of charges of attempted murder in December 2024 also marked a significant escalation.
At the beginning of the year, the public prosecutor’s office in Budapest also brought charges against Maja: 14 years imprisonment under particularly strict prison conditions. basc.news writes: As with Tobi, who has already been convicted in the same case, this is to be understood as a kind of deal, a “compromise” in return for a confession. Maja can accept these charges and, by making a confession, serve 14 years directly. If Maya rejects the deal, Maya will be tried in Budapest, where a significantly longer prison sentence is to be expected.
Tobi himself served 1 year and 10 months in Hungarian custody after accepting a plea deal at court in Budapest in 2023. But instead of being free now, he was extradited to Germany in December 2024 and handed over directly to the German authorities. The basis for this was also a European arrest warrant. Tobi was taken directly to Karlsruhe. This excessive arrest warrant was justified by an alleged risk of flight, although this never existed. Tobi is now awaiting further proceedings in Germany in the “Antifa-Ost-Complex”.
Uncertain outcome!
Investigative authorities, courts and media coverage have been working hand in hand for months to build up the threat scenario and increase the pressure on people in hiding and those around them. German authorities are cooperating with the authoritarian-right-wing state of Hungary to completely criminalize anti-fascist actions.
In a statement by the anti-fascists who turned up, they describe the authorities’ political will to persecute them and the insecurity in which they now find themselves.
“As some wanted anti-fascists, we faced our proceedings today at various locations in Germany. We do not know whether the German authorities will extradite us to the right-wing authoritarian government of Hungary. The potential will to extradite us is an expression of a transnational hunt for anti-fascists. The German and Hungarian authorities are willing to take strong action against anti-fascist practice.
The accusation of attempted homicide, which the Federal Public Prosecutor has raised against some of us, is a politically motivated escalation and can hardly be surpassed in terms of ridiculousness. It serves – similar to the accusation of unification – to deter and legitimize the action against anti-fascist practice. It is obvious that the current anti-fascist movement is not aimed at killing Nazis – and the Federal Prosecutor General is aware of this.” (https://de.indymedia.org/node/484164)
Anti-fascism and solidarity are more important than ever!
While the German state is cooperating with the Hungarian authorities, fortunately this is not the case everywhere.
As early as 2024, Italy prevented the extradition of Gabriele. A French court has currently postponed the extradition of Gino to Hungary for the time being. This does not mean that we trust in these institutions and their understanding of justice. The shift to the right in Europe, the strengthening of authoritarian and fascist movements and governments do not point to a rosy future. Their smear campaigns are reflected in both the public perception of anti-fascist engagement and in the excessive preliminary proceedings.
But especially in times of the resurgence of fascism, anti-fascist work is more necessary than ever. It is necessary to use force against neo-Nazis so that they cannot build their structures undisturbed. It is not anti-fascism that is dangerous, but the inhuman ideology of neo-Nazis.
Therefore, come to Jena on Saturday (25.01.2025) at 2 p.m. so that we can take to the streets together to show our anger and our solidarity!
We will not be intimidated of neo-Nazis or state repression!
We stand together!
Strength and love in prison and underground!
Freedom for all prisoners!