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Hungarians protest against new teachers’ law, police brutality

Saturday, 20 May 2023 11:31 AM [ Last Update: Saturday, 20 May 2023 11:31 AM ]

Police officers spray people, as protesters take part in a protest against the Hungarian government's 'Status Law' which may increase teachers' workloads and restrict their independence in Budapest, Hungary, May 3, 2023. (Photo by Reuters)

Thousands of Hungarians rallied in Budapest on Friday to protest a new law that would remove teachers’ civil servant status, as well as police tear gas against teenagers in earlier demonstrations.

Viktor Orban, the conservative nationalist prime minister in power since 2010, has faced growing public anger as he clashed with the European Union over democratic standards, clamped down on independent media, academics and judges, and cracked down on migrant rights.

Friday’s protest took place after a series of rallies and strikes to raise salaries and improve working conditions for teachers. Hungary’s inflation rate – now 24 percent – has driven down teacher pay, which was already below the national average and ranked second among OECD countries, according to 2021 data.

Protesters marched on Friday against the new so-called status law, which also significantly increases the workload of teachers. Critics refer to the law as the “Revenge Law,” which is seen as a punishment for the teachers’ year-long resistance.

Orban’s government said the bill aims to improve the quality of education. Almost 5,000 teachers have already said they will walk off the job if the status quo law goes into effect.

Street protests have been peaceful in the past year, except for one earlier this month, when police detained some teenagers at a pro-teacher rally as they tried to enter Orban’s offices, which have been surrounded by construction fences since 2020.

Police said they targeted protesters who were breaking up construction barriers and throwing debris at police.

Critics say the government should be able to fund its education system using its national budget, and that poor pay and working conditions have led to a severe shortage of teachers in the country.

The number of protesters on Friday was even larger than at a similar demonstration earlier this month, which saw police try to disperse the youth crowd with tear gas and on at least one occasion, rubber batons. Referring to the police response, the demonstrators chanted: “Tear gas does not teach us.”

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