Tibor and Renata Buzas and their three children, Tibor (13), Mercedesz (11) and Lili (9), arrived in Canada in November 2011. They left behind a pattern of racist violence in their native Hungary, and hoped for a better and safer life in Canada, where they claimed asylum.
The neo-Nazi movement in Hungary, targeting Romas and Jews, has strengthened in the past years. In 2008-2009, a campaign of terror was unleashed, with racists killing at least six Romas, fire-bombing houses and terrorizing Roma villages in north-eastern Hungary. Videos show the Hungarian Guard, a fascist black-uniformed militia openly patrolling Roma neighbourhoods. The extreme right political party Jobbik, closely linked to the Hungarian Guards, gained prominence, becoming the third party nationally in 2010.