Xpat Report: The 11th March Of The Living In Budapest

  • 23 Apr 2013 9:00 AM
Xpat Report: The 11th March Of The Living In Budapest
The 11th March of the Living, commemorating the victims of Holocaust, took place along the Danube in Budapest on the 21st of April. The aim of the event was also to support the reinforcement of a Hungary that is free of racism and extremism. Around 20,000-25,000 people took part in the peaceful remembrance march. Among the participants were Minister of Human Resources Zoltán Balog, Fidesz parliamentary faction leader Antal Rogán, and several foreign diplomats and state officials.

Only a small incident happened, when a man held a placard aimed at inciting hatred. However, the National Police dealt with the incident and maintained security during the entire event. Budapest City Police Department press officer Viktória Kovács declared that the event had occurred in peace and safety.

Earlier, there had been efforts to disturb the March of the Living, and coinciding with this event a nationalist biker’s association had begun organising a rally under the slogan “Give Gas”, which the Government regarded as highly contemptible. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that the safety, undisturbed remembrance and human dignity of the participants of the March of the Living would be assured with all available means.

The Prime Minister declared that all attempts to disregard or purposefully violate the dignity, history and pride of certain ethnic groups while insulting human dignity are not just performed in poor taste, but are deeply hurtful and contrary to the spirit of the Constitution. In the spirit of these declarations, Viktor Orbán ordered Minister of Interior Sándor Pintér to ensure that it would be impossible to organise events of a political nature that may violate the marchers’ human dignity on the day of the March of the Living.

In reaction to the prohibition of the Prime Minister, the nationalist biker’s association announced that they would organize another event on a different route and with a different name, however, Viktor Orbán asked again the Minister of Interior Affairs Sándor Pintér not to allow the rally.

Source: kormany.hu

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