Hungarian police have banned an annual neo-Nazi parade honoring the Nazis who attempted to break through Soviet forces that had surrounded Budapest at the end of World War II in 1945.
The annual “Day of Honor” gathering takes place on February 12, and sees neo-Nazi groups from across Europe attending. This year’s event has now been cancelled, Balkan Insight reported.
The Budapest Police Department issued the decision based upon a ruling by Hungary’s Supreme Court.
Beginning in 2017, attempts were begun by law enforcement to ban the rally but all of them had been squashed by the Supreme Court.
The most recent attempt at banning the event was upheld by the high court, citing the incitement in speeches given at the event and the attendance of extremists who cause public panic.
“Extreme groups are expected to appear at this event. The holding of the event in their presence may be accompanied by a considerable attack on public order and peace,” the court ruled.
The ruling added that the rally could inspire extremism that would harm victims of World War II and their descendants.
Previous gatherings saw far right groups attend, including neo-Nazi organizations such as Blood and Honour, the Nordic Resistance Movement, Skins4Skins and the Dortmund-based neo-Nazi group Die Rechte.
Blood and Honour has been banned by Germany, Spain and Russia for threatening to commit terrorist acts. Canada has designated it a terrorist group.
Hungarian law makes it illegal to deny, question or trivialize the atrocities committed by the Nazis and the communists.