In Nantes, where the women’s and men’s football events are held, a Hungarian communications director was shot at by a local resident, who, as it turned out, had previously had multiple issues with the authorities.
Internationally recognized experts, including Hungarians, are working at the Paris Olympics. One of them is the only Hungarian media worker who can serve as a leader in the 290-member operational media team. The father of a young child travelled to France at the beginning of July to begin working as a manager at the women’s and men’s football matches after completing the necessary training and orientation. The organizers provided accommodation for him, renting a second-floor flat in a condominium as his temporary home. Following the incident he explained the events to Origo:
‘After a tiring day, I arrived home around seven or eight in the evening. It’s worth noting that the sun here sets around ten, so it was still quite light at eight. I started cooking in the flat and suddenly heard someone shouting and gesturing towards me from the courtyard. Unfortunately, I don’t speak French, and the man could only explain in broken English that he thought I was being too loud and that he couldn’t rest because of it. He gestured vigorously and wanted me to come down and discuss it with him. I told him I wouldn’t leave the cooking, that I was sorry if I was loud, but I was only cooking.
Despite this, he continued shouting and then ran into his flat, reappearing shortly with a handgun,
waving it around and demanding I come down immediately. At that point, I stepped away from the window, and he shouted even louder, then ran back inside and came up to the second floor, banging and kicking my door, demanding I let him in.
Fortunately, the neighbours noticed and called the police. I had enough presence of mind not to stand by the door but to crouch beside a concrete wall. Eventually, he fired the gun, which made a loud bang, and meanwhile, the special unit of the French gendarmerie (GIGN) arrived, with three burly men carrying submachine guns, and disarmed the man.
It turned out that it was an airsoft handgun, but I couldn’t have known that from the second floor. The gendarmes were helpful, explaining that the man had papers proving his mental illness and that there wasn’t much they could do with a complaint. I then requested new accommodation from the organizers, which the gendarmes waited for and escorted me to the new place; the man couldn’t leave his flat until then. Overall, it was one of the worst experiences of my life. When the gendarmes arrived, all the tension released, and I couldn’t speak at first due to my tears.’
The Hungarian expert was shaken up by the events and does not want his name to be made public.
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Sources: Hungarian Conservative/Origo
