{"id":16246,"date":"2021-01-31T18:16:12","date_gmt":"2021-01-31T18:16:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiofree.org\/?p=156748"},"modified":"2021-01-31T18:16:12","modified_gmt":"2021-01-31T18:16:12","slug":"hungarians-protest-against-lockdown-measures-despite-ban-on-gatherings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/01\/31\/hungarians-protest-against-lockdown-measures-despite-ban-on-gatherings\/","title":{"rendered":"Hungarians Protest Against Lockdown Measures, Despite Ban On Gatherings"},"content":{"rendered":"
Hundreds of people have protested in Budapest against coronavirus lockdown measures.<\/p>\n
The protesters wore masks but defied rules that ban public gatherings. Police were asking for documents from those attending the rally on January 31.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, at least 100 restaurants in the Hungarian capital vowed to reopen for business beginning on February 1 — despite government warnings that would face fines of up to $17,000 for doing so.<\/p>\n
Current lockdown measures include a nighttime curfew and the closure of secondary schools, as well as the closure of all restaurants and cafes except for takeaway orders.<\/p>\n
“We have had enough of the mass destruction of businesses,” protest organizers said on Facebook.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government has said it could only start easing the measures if the number of coronavirus cases declines sharply, or if large numbers of Hungarians are inoculated.<\/p>\n
On January 29, Orban said on state radio that “people could die if we do not bear with the restrictions for a few more weeks … It is not a solution if people go out and violate the rules.”<\/p>\n
Hungary during the past week became the first European Union member state to sign a deal for Russia’s Sputnik-V COVID-19 vaccine and China’s SinoPharm’s vaccine.<\/p>\n
With a population of about 10 million, Hungary had reported a total of 367,586 COVID cases as of January 31, including 12,524 deaths.<\/p>\n
New infections have recently been dropping. But more than 3,500 COVID-19 patients remain in hospitals.<\/p>\n