Incident in Bucharest: A night of violence
On August 26, 2025, in Bucharest, Cosmin Tudoran, 20, attacked a Bangladeshi delivery rider who was waiting at a traffic light around 22:30. Tudoran filmed the moment with his phone and publicly directed insults at the rider, telling him, in English, that the man was an invader and should return to his country. The victim sustained injuries that required medical attention, though they were not life-threatening, and a bystander police officer, who happened to be off duty, swiftly immobilized Tudoran.
The legal steps and detention
Following the incident, Tudoran was arrested on August 27 and placed in preventive detention for 30 days by the Judecătoria Sectorului 2 on charges of “lovire şi alte violențe” (hitting and other violence). On September 5, the Tribunalul București confirmed the preventive measure, keeping him in custody as the investigation continued. Prosecutors also uncovered material on Tudoran’s social media that suggested fascist and Nazi sympathies, prompting an expansion of the case.
The judge’s reasoning: public order and the severity of the act
The court’s decision to maintain Tudoran’s detention rested on the perceived danger to public order. The judge noted that the gravity of the offense, the social relationships violated, and the possible consequences supported continued detention rather than release under milder preventive measures. The document underscores that a violent act of this nature, combined with the offender’s statements and potential intent, signals a risk to societal harmony that authorities must address.
Dehumanizing rhetoric and potential hate motive
In the court’s motivation, there is a stark reference to the defendant’s remarks: he claimed he could not breathe the same air as “these subhumans” and asserted that he had always had “pure blood.” Such language, described as dehumanizing in the judgement, points to a racist or xenophobic motive and is set against a context of rising discrimination noted by the judge as a societal concern that threatens democratic values and human dignity.
Context: far-right symbols and ongoing investigation
The investigative authorities also report that Tudoran’s social media activity included content with fascist, legionary, and Nazi symbols. Prosecutors extended the inquiry after a collage featuring symbols of the Legionary Movement and an image of Adolf Hitler near two Nazi flags was found. This development has intensified scrutiny of hate-based ideologies and their link to acts of violence, reinforcing calls for vigilance against discrimination in Romanian society.
What happens next
With Tudoran remaining in custody, the legal process will determine his final charges and penalties. The victim’s medical report indicated a short period of care, illustrating that while the injuries were not life-threatening, the incident nonetheless represents a serious breach of safety and human rights. Beyond this case, authorities say they will continue to monitor and address rising racial discrimination, which is viewed as a threat to social cohesion and the rule of law.
