The German MEP known for his hateful remarks against Hungary's constitutional representatives was also stoking the fire.Continue reading
Proceedings have been launched against more than 50 people in connection with the unlawful assembly that blocked the Szabadság (Liberty) Bridge on Tuesday, the Budapest Police Headquarters said on police.hu. According to the statement, opposition politician Ákos Hadházy and his fellow organizers announced three assemblies on Tuesday, in connection with which the police issued a prescriptive-restrictive decision.
The Budapest Police Headquarters pointed out that the participants of the demonstration illegally blocked traffic at Ferenciek Square in the 5th district (downtown Budapest), and then a group of them marched to the Liberty Bridge, where they blocked traffic for a while. The police temporarily diverted traffic from the affected sections to ensure traffic safety.
As they wrote,
people illegally occupying the roadway of the Liberty Bridge were repeatedly asked to move to the sidewalk, and those who did not comply with the repeated requests were taken to the sidewalk by police.
Protesters at Ferenciek Square. Photo: MTI/Illyés Tibor
In connection with the unlawful assembly, police officers stopped 140 people, two were charged with abuse of the right of assembly, and one with a pyrotechnics offense. A total of 51 people were prosecuted for traffic offenses, one was also charged for breaching the obligation to show proof of identity. Another person was charged for the same reason regarding proof of identity, and one was charged for disturbing the peace, according to police.
The protests involving the occupation of bridges in Hungary began after parliament passed an amendment to the law on assembly, which will ban events like the Pride march.
They are organized by controversial opposition politician Ákos Hadházy, perhaps best known for holding up an obscene sign during a session in Parliament, and also for refusing to take an MP’s oath. At his behest, protesters have taken to the streets several times, along with other left-wing opposition politicians, paralyzing traffic in the city. As a result, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has said that new measures are being planned to prevent a few dozen people from disrupting the lives of tens of thousands of others – referring to the many people who have been stuck in traffic jams during rush hour because of the demonstrations in the capital.
Due to the demonstration, there was a traffic jam in downtown Budapest. Photo: MTI/Illyés Tibor
As reported by Mandiner, the Curia also banned Hadházy and his companions from holding a demonstration in support of Pride and the occupation of a bridge on Tuesday. Despite this, the independent MP kept his promise and appeared at 5:00 p.m in Ferenciek Square with a few dozen supporters. The demonstrators marched very slowly from one side of the crosswalk to the other in Ferenciek Square. This time the traffic jam began forming in the area in front of Elizabeth Bridge.
The demonstrators then marched to Liberty Bridge, where they sat down on the rails, blocking the crossing between the two parts of the city.
Shortly after 7:00 p.m., the police picked everyone up from the ground and traffic on the bridge was able to resume. The demonstrators were pushed onto the pavement and then started walking back and forth across the crosswalk on Fővám Square.
Via police.hu, Mandiner; Featured photo via MTI/Illyés Tibor