Saturday 6 April 2013

The March for Life / Bikers Step on the Gas




Ever cheering news from Hungary as from here

2013.04.06. 11:26"Adj gázt" - ellendemonstrációt terveznek az Élet Menete napján 
Április 21-én rendezik meg Budapesten az "Élet menetét" - amelynek során a holokauszt sokszázezer magyarországi áldozatára emlékeznek. A Népszava értesülése, valamint a társaság Facebook oldala szerint ugyanaznapra motoros felvonulást is szervez a Nemzeti Érzelmű Motorosok csoportja.  
A terv szerint a banda demonstratívan elvonul a magyarországi zsidóság jelképes épülete, a pesti Dohány utcai zsinagóga előtt. Plakátjukon árpádsávos zászlók erdeje alatt motorozgatnak. A menet címe pedig csak ennyi a szórólapon: "Adj gázt!".
Népszava / atv.hu

Translation: 
"Step on the Gas" - Counter-demonstration planned for March for Life Day 
The March for Life event, commemorating the hundreds of thousands of Hungarian Holocaust victims is planned for 21 April. According to a report in Népszava, as confirmed on the Facebook page of the group Bikers for National Pride [rough translation, but note link warning in English], there is also to be a motorbike demonstration on the same day. 
The group plans to ride past the symbolic centre of Hungarian Jewry, the Dohány Street Synagogue, brandishing placards employing the Árpád flag [the flag preferred by the far-right in Hungary] with a single slogan: Step on the Gas.

There are of course such people everywhere but they don't feel at such ease as they do in Hungary to conduct such a demonstration. And that says something about the temper of the country.


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

What does it say about the temperament of Hungary?

The group planning this event has been condemned for this hateful action by certain members of the government, and, considering freedom of speech, it would be impossible to ban such an event, even if it is so tasteless. The government must uphold civil rights (especially freedom of speech) regardless of the circumstances.

Also, it appears that this motorbike protest has been modeled after a similarly themed event led by an extreme right German group ("Gas geben"), so these sentiments are not purely Hungarian, but also are also visible in other countries that have witnessed similar minority struggles in recent years.

Anonymous said...

Good news, the demonstration is banned. See related letter from the Anti-Defamation League: http://www.kormany.hu/download/c/58/d0000/ADL%20Letter%20to%20Hungary%20PM%20Viktor%20Orb%C3%A1n.pdf

George S said...

So is it impossible to ban such an event? Very glad it has been banned.

Anonymous said...

Galamus - Hungary
Orbán may not just ban Nazi rally
Hungary's right-wing conservative head of government Viktor Orbán has personally issued a ban against a rally planned by far right bikers under the slogan "Hit the accelerator!". This is a dictatorial act on Orbán's part since banning rallies falls within the remit of the police and the judiciary, writes sociologist Ferenc Krémer on the left-liberal opinion portal Galamus: "Now everyone is delighted because Orbán has banned the neo-Nazi bikers' rally. … He didn't have the authority to do so but we're already getting used to him doing as he pleases. … It looks like the Hungarian police is under the direct influence of the politicians and the corresponding laws are just for decorative purposes. Viktor Orbán has once again made it clear that he wields absolute power in the country." (10/04/2013)