- Global Voices - https://globalvoices.org -

Hungary: War on the Homeless in Budapest

Categories: Eastern & Central Europe, Hungary, Citizen Media, Governance, Human Rights, Law, Protest

The Wayward Hungarian [1], a new English-language Tumblr blog, writes [2] about the recent initiative [3] by a Hungarian activist, who has “hacked” the regulation targeting the homeless living in Budapest's District VIII. The regulation imposes a fine of “up to 250 dollars if one is conducting ‘lifestyle-like’ behavior in public, but the municipality may now also fine the same amount if one stores items in public areas that may be accessories to the selfsame ‘lifestyle-like’ behavior. Items such as blankets for instance. This means that people can be fined for unsettlingly vague things like ‘sitting on a rock’ and ‘having a blanket’.”