Images of Israeli flags being torn, burned, or vandalized without interference from authorities or security forces in European countries have unfortunately become all too common. But when this kind of behavior clashes with Hungary's pro-Israel stance, local law enforcement responds with a firm hand against desecration of the Jewish state's flag.
Between Friday and Saturday at around 4 a.m local time., less than a day before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was set to sail on the Danube River and roughly 24 hours after his arrival in Hungary, two foreign nationals holding French passports approached the iconic Széchenyi Chain Bridge in Budapest, which had been adorned with Israeli flags in honor of the Israeli leader's visit.
The two began tearing the flags down, ripping them apart, and hurling them into the river. Eyewitnesses called the Budapest police, who arrived quickly and took the individuals to the police station. After a brief interrogation, the decision was made to keep them in custody. According to a report by NEPSZAVA, the French nationals threw 17 Israeli flags into the river and were arrested by local police on charges of disorderly conduct, vandalism, and theft.
