Latest news with #tyranny
The Independent
7 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Budapest police deny LGBTQ+ march request, citing Hungary's legislative Pride ban
Police issued an order on Tuesday denying a request to hold an LGBTQ+ event later in central Budapest, a consequence of recent steps by the right-wing populist government aimed at banning the popular Budapest Pride march. The police's decision to prohibit the planned event later this month came after Hungary's parliament passed legislation in March, and a constitutional amendment the following month, that allowed the government to ban public events by LGBTQ+ communities — moves that legal scholars and critics have called another step toward authoritarianism by the autocratic government. In its justification for prohibiting the Budapest event, which organizers requested to take place on June 28, the city's police argued that 'it cannot be ruled out, or is even inevitable, that a person under the age of 18 will be able to engage in legally prohibited conduct' if attending the proposed march. The police also contended that the march could result in 'passive victims,' who, 'because of the assembly's march-like nature, did not wish to attend the assembly but, because of its public nature, nevertheless become a bystander.' In a statement, the organizers called the police decision 'a textbook example of tyranny.' The ban on LGBTQ+ events — which the government says ensures children's rights to moral, physical and spiritual development — allows for fines on people organizing or taking part in Pride events, and the use of facial recognition software to identify them. Hungary's contentious 'child protection' legislation prohibits the 'depiction or promotion' of homosexuality to minors aged under 18. Hungarian officials have given contradictory statements as to whether or not the new policies amount to a full ban on Budapest Pride. In a speech to supporters in February, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán advised organizers 'not to bother organizing this year's parade,' calling it 'wasted money and time.' The Budapest Police attached photographs and videos to its statement depicting scenes from previous Budapest Pride events — ostensibly evidence to corroborate its view that the march was likely to violate the new laws banning public displays of homosexuality. France, Germany and Spain were among at least 20 European Union nations who last month called on Hungary to revise its legislation banning LGBTQ+ events, expressing concern that it runs contrary to the fundamental values of human dignity, freedom, equality and respect for human rights enshrined in EU treaties. Organizers of Budapest Pride, which draws tens of thousands annually and is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, have vowed that the event will go on as planned despite the threat of legal sanctions.
Fox News
19-05-2025
- General
- Fox News
Rare and authentic Magna Carta discovered long after it was purchased for $27.50
A "copy" of the famous document known as a symbol against tyranny and as a "cornerstone of freedom" has been discovered to be authentic. Harvard Law School in 1946 bought a "copy" of the Magna Carta for just $27.50 from a London legal book dealer, Sweet & Maxwell, according to a news release. British researchers from King's College London and the University of East Anglia made the discovery while studying unofficial copies of Magna Carta. One professor, David Carpenter, noticed the digital version of the document on the Harvard Law School Library website and realized it might be authentic. "This is a fantastic discovery," Carpenter, a professor of medieval history at King's College London, said in a Harvard Law School press release. Previously, only six originals of the document were known to exist. The Magna Carta is a royal charter of rights agreed to by King John of England in 1211. It is known for having paved the way for the idea that the king and his government were not above the law, according to the UK's Parliament. "Harvard's Magna Carta deserves celebration, not as some mere copy, stained and faded, but as an original of one of the most significant documents in world constitutional history, a cornerstone of freedoms past, present and yet to be won," added Carpenter. To determine if the charter was authentic, it was photographed under ultra-violet light and subjected to various levels of spectral imaging along with receiving an analysis of the form, hand and content. Nicholas Vincent, a professor of medieval history at the University of East Anglia, said it is "a totem of liberty, central to our sense of who we are: a freedom-loving, free-born people." "This is a fantastic discovery." He added, "It is an icon both of the Western political tradition and of constitutional law. If you asked anybody what the most famous single document in the history of the world is, they would probably name Magna Carta." The press release notes that "Carpenter and Vincent also observed that the first line with elongated letters and a large capital E was consistent with the six other originals of Magna Carta 1300." The National Archives in Washington, D.C., holds a 1297 version of Magna Carta that is on display for the public to view.
Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
China, Russia, Iran, North Korea... The terrifying threat of the alliance of autocrats now menacing us seems utterly lost on Europe's naive leaders: ANDREW NEIL
There was a gathering of the ghouls in Moscow yesterday as Russia held its own commemoration of the end of the Second World War in Europe 80 years ago. Somewhat ironically for an event meant to mark the final surrender of a terrible tyranny, President Putin was surrounded in Red Square by some two dozen of today's worst tyrants (among whom he can include himself) from the likes of Belarus, Venezuela, , Zimbabwe and Republic of Congo.
The Independent
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
King pays tribute in poignant VE Day speech to unity of Allies who fought ‘existential threat to humanity'
The King has hailed 'unity between nations, races, religions and ideologies' in standing up to tyranny, as he paid homage to wartime allies in a heartfelt speech on the 80th anniversary of VE Day. By joining forces, they resisted 'an existential threat', he said, and appealed to people to ensure the stories of the Second World War lived on. The King spoke after a special VE Day concert in London that included performances by The Darkness, Toploader and classical singer Sir Willard White. Earlier, the King and Queen, together with the Prince and Princess of Wales, prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and veterans, attended a Westminster Abbey service. In his speech, the King said: 'The Allied victory being celebrated then, as now, was a result of unity between nations, races, religions and ideologies, fighting back against an existential threat to humanity. 'Their collective endeavour remains a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when countries stand together in the face of tyranny.' He said: 'In remembering the past, we must also look to the future. As the number of those who lived through the Second World War so sadly dwindles, the more it becomes our duty to carry their stories forward, to ensure their experiences are never to be forgotten. 'We must listen, learn and share, just as communities across the nation have been doing this week at local street parties, religious services and countless small acts of remembrance and celebration.' Thousands of people dressed in red, white and blue gathered at Horse Guard's Parade, central London, for the concert. On a day when attacks were continuing in Ukraine, India and Pakistan and the Gaza Strip, he reminding the crowds of the words of former prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, who said 'meeting jaw to jaw is better than war'. The King said: 'We should also rededicate ourselves not only to the cause of freedom but to renewing global commitments to restoring a just peace where there is war, to diplomacy, and to the prevention of conflict.' Paying tribute to all those who fought the Nazis, he said the country united 'to celebrate and remember with an unwavering and heartfelt gratitude, the service and sacrifice of the wartime generation who made that hard-fought victory possible'. He recalled how his mother, the late Queen, said she did the conga, sang until 2am and got to bed at 3am. 'I do hope your celebrations tonight are almost as joyful, although I rather doubt I shall have the energy to sing until 2am, let alone lead you all in a giant conga from here back to Buckingham Palace!' he said.
