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'Pigs, Hands Off the Theater' - Hungarians Protest for Artistic Freedom

Reuters

   BUDAPEST - Hungary's government submitted plans to parliament on Monday
   to tighten its control over theaters, triggering protests from actors
   and audiences who feel that artistic freedom is under threat.

   On a cold wet day, about 1,000 to 2,000 people demonstrated against the
   legislation in downtown Budapest, with banners saying "Pigs, hands off
   the theater!"

   Leading actors, theater directors and Budapest's liberal mayor spoke at
   the protest against the bill which they say could undermine the
   independence of theaters.

   "I am a democrat, and this is a step towards stealing yet another field
   that belongs to the public: this time the theaters," said Gabor Timar,
   67, a retired bus driver.

   The ruling party of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban wants to
   pass the bill in an accelerated process this week.

   A public petition urging lawmakers to reject the bill had gathered
   almost 50,000 signatures by Monday evening. Actors read out the
   petition at several theaters over the weekend.

   In a Facebook video, some of Hungary's leading actors and theater
   directors said the plans recalled the communist era, when the state
   controlled most aspects of national life.

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