Court rules egg-throwing a form of free speech

Pest Central District Court on Tuesday fined four people for throwing eggs at Saturday's gay parade, and acquitted three others. All seven had thrown eggs at the parade participants and police, but the court convicted only those who had refused to stop when told to do so by police. Those found guilty were fined Ft 36,000-66,000.

The court ruled that throwing eggs is protected by the right to freedom of expression and poses no danger.

Police union leader Judit Szima told Magyar Hírlap that the force's leaders have become uncertain of their duties because of the various political expectations which they try to meet. She cited as examples the initial ban of the gay parade by police authorities and the subsequent reversal of that decision, as well as the apparent legality of egg-throwing.

Budapest Police had at first said in a statement that egg-throwing is a form of free expression but officers later detained egg throwers at commanders' orders at the counter demonstration, Szima said.

Meanwhile, two gay people and a heterosexual were beaten at the Rudas public baths on the weekend, Népszabadság reports.

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