Hungarian Camerawoman Who Kicked Refugees Apologizes

Petra Laszlo, the Hungarian camerawoman who kicked refugees, has apologized for her actions in an open letter. Simultaneously, the broadcast of the television network she worked for has been suspended. Ms. Laszlo, whose actions faced widespread negative reactions on social media and global media, stated in her letter: "I sincerely regret what happened. I am shocked by my behavior and how I handled myself." According to Reuters, in the letter published by a Hungarian newspaper's website, she claimed that she was scared when hundreds of refugees started running and wanted to protect herself. The female camerawoman added: "I am not a heartless and racist camerawoman who enjoys kicking children." Ms. Laszlo mentioned that after the video of her kicking refugees was released, she received "disgusting messages" and was even "threatened with death." She stated: "I am a woman and a mother of young children who lost her job after this incident and made a wrong decision in a moment of panic." In the video footage of Petra Laszlo's behavior, it is seen that she deliberately kicks a refugee girl and trips another man who is fleeing with his young child, causing them to fall. This female camerawoman has been interrogated by the police in recent days, and a case has been filed against her. If convicted in court, she could face up to five years in prison. Reuters also reported that the broadcast of the Hungarian television network where Ms. Laszlo worked was suspended on Friday. The website of this television network stated that the reason for the suspension of its programs was a cyberattack by hackers. The N1TV network announced on its Facebook page that hackers, whose IP addresses are linked to Turkey, have deleted all of the network's website, including its archives and correspondence. The network's responsible manager stated: "A group of Islamist hackers from Tunisia called the Falaga Team has claimed responsibility for this cyberattack." This hacking group, which has a Twitter account, has been previously associated with other cyberattacks, but Reuters has not yet found evidence of their involvement in the attack on the Hungarian television network. The mentioned television network, known for its right-wing and nationalist political leanings, fired her on Tuesday after widespread broadcasting of images showing her kicking refugees. After the cyberattack on Friday, the website of this television network was completely empty, and in the afternoon, a short statement in Hungarian and English was published on it announcing the cyberattack and the suspension of the network's programs. The right-wing Hungarian government has a very radical stance on the issue of migrants coming to Europe, describing them as a threat to the welfare and Christian values of Europe. So far this year, about 170,000 migrants have entered Hungary, but it is unclear how many of them are still in the country. The Hungarian police, following European immigration laws, have attempted to gather these individuals and register and fingerprint them. However, many migrants are unwilling to do so because their goal is to leave Hungary as quickly as possible and head to Germany and Sweden.