Court overturns ban on Jobbik protest ahead of World Jewish Congress event

[Szegedist]

The radical nationalist Jobbik party today got the green light to hold a protest ahead of the World Jewish Congress’ plenary meeting in Budapest after a court struck down a police order banning the demonstration.

The protest, entitled “Justice for Hungary! A Commemoration for the Victims of Bolshevism and Zionism,” is set to take place on Vértanúk tere next to Parliament at 10 a.m. on May 4, the day before the WJC event begins.

“We are asking everybody, as we have done before, to join us if they want to commemorate the victims of Bolhevism and Zionism in a manner that is full of piety, full of dignity,” event organizer Enikő Kovács Hegedűs, a Jobbik MP, in a video statement on her party’s website.

The court ruling represents a rebuke for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who had ordered a blanket ban on all demonstrations that might offend conference participants. The prime minister has recently been taking a tougher line on anti-Jewish hate speech after human rights organizations accused his governing Fidesz party of being too tolerant of anti-Semitism and other forms of racism. Orbán is scheduled to deliver the opening address at the WJC assembly on the evening of May 5.

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[The Lawspeaker]

It's good to see that in Hungary the rule of law still applies.

[Szegedist]

If only the rule of law had some consistency, and not appear sometimes and be nowhere seen other times :laugh:

[Baluarte]

Reuters' take:

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Hungary court allows far-right rally before Jewish congress

(Reuters) - A Hungarian court has given the go ahead for a far-right protest on Saturday before an international conference of Jewish leaders in Budapest, saying a police ruling that banned it was belated and unlawful.

But Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who had ordered the police ban, said the court ruling was "unacceptable" and has asked the president of the Supreme Court to intervene and the interior minister to stop the rally.

The rally, to be held near parliament, will feature speeches from leader of the far-right Jobbik party and Marton Gyongyosi, a Jobbik lawmaker whose call for Jews to be registered on lists as threats to national security was condemned internationally.

The rise of far-right movements and anti-Semitism across Europe, notably in Hungary, where more than half a million Jews were killed in the Holocaust, will be the focus of the World Jewish Congress when it meets in Budapest on Sunday.

Police had barred the rally after the order by Orban to prevent any disturbance around the three-day congress, but a Jobbik lawmaker brought the case to try to reinstate it.

"The court has established that the conduct by police, banning the event on the basis of unfounded presumptions, represented a serious violation of the law," the Budapest Public Administration and Labor Affairs Court said in the ruling published on its website on Friday.

It said that police, which banned the protest more than two weeks after it was first announced, had also exceeded the 48-hour time limit to assess the legality of any event.

A police spokesman said after the ruling the rally could now be held legally, however Orban said he still wanted it halted.

"I have instructed the interior minister to use all lawful means to prevent the event, which goes against the constitution," the prime minister said in a statement.

Orban's conservative government, which surged to power in 2010, has repeatedly condemned provocative remarks by Jobbik lawmakers in parliament.

Jobbik became the third largest party in parliament in 2010 after vilifying the Roma minority in its campaign platform and attracting voters frustrated by a deepening economic crisis.

Gyongyosi later apologized for his call for a Jewish list but did not resign. On Sunday, the chairman of a Hungarian anti-racism group was attacked by far-right soccer fans at a game after he confronted people chanting Nazi slogans.

The demonstration titled "Remembering the victims of Bolshevism and Zionism" is due to be held from 0800 GMT on Saturday.

(Reporting by Gergely Szakacs; Editing by Alison Williams)