Hungarian police arrest 2 French citizens for tearing down Israeli flags honoring Netanyahu’s visit

By Yaakov Schwartz

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6 April 2025, 1:35 pm

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Yaakov Schwartz is The Times of Israel's deputy Jewish World editor

Israeli and Hungarian flags are raised on the oldest Hungarian bridge, the Széchenyi Chain Bridge in Budapest, on April 2, 2025. (Photo by Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP)

BUDAPEST — Hungarian police announce the arrest (Hungarian link) of two people yesterday for tearing down 17 Israeli flags lining Budapest’s Széchenyi Chain Bridge in honor of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit, and throwing them into the Danube River.

The alleged perpetrators, two French nationals, were arrested by police on the bridge a few minutes after the incident. After questioning by investigators at Budapest’s Fifth District police station, they have been charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct, vandalism and theft.

Police say they have also arrested two Spanish nationals for misdemeanor vandalism after they broke a Hungarian flag on the bridge one hour later that day.