Two journalists from the weekly Hetek received death threats at a far-right festival, the weekly reported on Friday. The reporters visiting the Magyar Sziget Festival in Verőce, north of Budapest, were escorted at all times and were allowed to interview only Jobbik MP Gyula György Zagyva, head of the 64 Counties Movement. He received them in a tent, where he was reclining on a couch and brandishing a whip. He reportedly told the journalists “you should be glad that you were not beaten up”. He reportedly also said it was “Jewish arrogance” that the journalists had turned on their dictaphone and that he would most willingly “stamp out their gut”. Zagyva denied to Népszabadság that he had said such things and vowed to take legal action for defamation of character and libel. He did not deny that he had a whip in his hand, but said “why not?” The Jobbik national leadership will discuss the matter today. Spokeswoman Dora Dúró said Zagyva is a member of the caucus but not the party. The Socialist Party asked Justice Minister Tibor Navracsics and Interior Minister Sándor Pintér to look into the matter.
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