Gábor Vona's proposed trip has met with opposition from activists, with Theresa May under pressure to ban Jobbik leader
The leader of Europe's most powerful extreme-right party, Jobbik, will face "heavy" protests should the home secretary refuse to bar his entry to the UK, leading anti-racism groups have warned.
"It is D-Day and plans are afoot" to disrupt Hungarian politician Gábor Vona's proposed appearance in London this weekend in the runup to the country's elections, one of the campaigners said on Thursday.
The activist, who asked not to be named, added that opponents were likely to take to the streets and attempt to block Vona's path to the venue, in scenes reminiscent of protests against domestic far-right groups. Unite Against Fascism called for a counter protest to be held if the planned forum for Hungarian expats in Britain on Sunday goes ahead.
Vona's proposed trip to the UK has met with opposition from politicians and activists already. A Hope Not Hate petition demanding home secretary Theresa May refuse Vona entry to the country, which the group said was signed by more than 14,000 people, was handed into the Home Office on Thursday.
Claude Moraes, Labour MEP for London, said: "I've seen Jobbik up close – they are racist, anti-Semitic, anti-Roma fascists – we don't want them spreading their poison in our great international city London."
Sabby Dhalu, joint national secretary of Unite Against Fascism, said that groups like Jobbik had "no place" in the UK and called on "all democrats to reject" the group this weekend.
The Jobbik party, which has 43 of the Hungarian parliament's 386 seats – as well as three in the EU parliament – is accused of holding strong anti-Semitic views and fuelling hatred against Jewish and Roma communities. Vona, founder of the now-outlawed Magyar Garda Mozgalom paramilitary guard, is to speak at the event, scheduled to take place a day before Holocaust Memorial Day.
Addressed to the home secretary, Hope Not Hate's petition read: "As a supporter of Hope Not Hate I strongly believe in the preservation of our most basic human rights, not least that of freedom of speech.
"However, with rights come responsibilities, and we must work as a community to protect against the politics of hate and incitement.
"This weekend we mark Holocaust Memorial Day, a period of history which to all our shame saw hate destroy hope.
"We are therefore calling on you to ban Gabor Vona, the leader of the racist and anti-Semitic extremist party Jobbik, from entering the UK, as his politics of hate are simply not welcome here."
London Assembly member and former Labour MP Andrew Dismore has already written to May demanding that Vona is banned from holding the event. Dismore, who as a Labour MP founded Holocaust Memorial Day, has called Jobbik "the most powerful outwardly fascist political party in Europe".
Vona's spokesman denied claims he was due to meet members of the Greek far-right Golden Dawn and the British National party leader Nick Griffin during his stay. She said that the claims were "false", adding: "He has no intention of meeting anyone from Golden Dawn or the British National party.
"This is a forum for Hungarian citizens. This is not to do with anyone else. There are lots of Hungarians living in London and the election is coming up in Hungary."
A Home Office spokesman said: "We do not comment on individual cases or if someone is under consideration for exclusion."
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