Ilaria Salis, accused of being part of a gang that allegedly attacked an unarmed man from behind with a hammer, has retained her immunity as an MEP after the European Parliament postponed a vote on whether or not to lift it.
JURI, the European Parliament’s legal affairs committee, decided on June 17 to postpone the ballot.
That meant it would take place much later, possibly as late as September.
On X, Salis, a former teacher from Italy, gave a “heartfelt thanks to everyone for the many messages of solidarity and support”.
“In the midst of the usual, predictable campaign of hate and manipulation by the far right allied with [Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor] Orbán, your affection and sense of justice are a great pleasure,” she said. “The battle continues!”
Her group in the European Parliament, The Left, said there was “no consensus to send a sitting MEP to face a sham trial in Hungary, where Orbán has made it clear that her conviction has already been predetermined”.
In Hungary, the self-declared anti-fascist Salis faced 11 years in jail for allegedly assaulting a man in Budapest in 2023.
Following a demonstration in June last year by left-wing political movement Antifa, Salis allegedly was part of a group that assaulted a man from the behind, hitting him on the head with a hammer. The gang reportedly accused him of being “far right”.
The incident was caught on tape, clearly showing what appeared to be an unprovoked attack by eight people against one, charging him in the back.
The victim later shared gruesome pictures of his face, wounded by the hammer blows.
An Italian far-left militant Antifa extremist currently in house arrest in Hungary on suspicion of attempted murder has been elected into the European Parliament and will walk free thanks to MEP immunity.
Ilaria Salis is suspected of having been part of the German “Hammer Gang”… pic.twitter.com/bmWyUarZo8
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) June 10, 2024
Right-wing MEPs criticised the vote postponement.
Silvia Sardone, of the Italian League Party, claimed there were a double standards in the European Parliament regarding such matters.
She said on X it was “embarrassing to see that the Left is willing to do anything to prevent her from facing a trial”.
Her colleague Roberto Vannacci said: “It is rather absurd that Italian leftist Ilaria Salis is bemoaning the alleged democratic backsliding in Hungary under Viktor Orbán as she and her comrades clearly think that they can smash in anyone’s head if they disagree with them.”
Nicola Procaccini, co-chair of the Group of Conservatives and Reformists in the European Parliament, pointed out: “The charges against her were made before she held her role as a parliamentarian.
“Let’s hope in one decision as soon as possible, because we think it’s a pity that there was no decision.” she added.
“Especially if we compare the situation of Salis with many others that we have seen in Parliament, even in this legislature.”
