Leaked footage shows Hungarian MP assaulted by state media security staff

Leaked footage recorded by the public media but published by 444.hu shows how the public media's armed security guards took opposition MP László Varju to the ground, twisted his knee, kneeled on him, and tried to kick his phone away.

The video was recorded when opposition MPs entered the headquarters of the Hungarian state media to get airtime for the five demands of protesters and the opposition. The MPs had been inside the building for 24 hours when Varju tried to enter the newsroom, followed by - as Varju put it - six security guards jumping on him.

The video shows that Varju did not exaggerate. He was holding onto a railing when one of the security guards kicked his feet from under him as they took him to the ground. One of the guards instructed the other one to grab the MP's legs, while Varju was laying the ground probably trying to get a live stream started on his phone. Five guards tried then to carry him out of the room as he was shouting for help. 

László Varju was hospitalized after the incident. His hospital report said that he had bruises consistent with being grabbed, but he did not sustain any fractures.

The laws regulating the security staff at the public media stipulate that the guards have to obey direct commands coming from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Constitution Protection Office, and the National Organisation of Rescue Services. As we wrote earlier, it does not seem very likely that the guards acted on their own, especially considering the fact that the guards did not even allow the police to enter the building.

DK, the party of the assaulted MP, filed charges for assault on a representative of a public authority.

444 wrote that the public media news channel only broadcasted footage that showed the MP on the ground alone, with no security guards around him.

This article is a translation of the Hungarian original published by Index.

(Cover: 444.hu)