Director of Hungarian National Museum Fired for Failure to Enforce Anti-LGBT Law

The director of Hungary’s National Museum loses his job after he failed to enforce a law against the display of LGBT content during the World Press Photo exhibition.

The prestigious exhibition shows, among other things, a series of photos from a community of older LGBT people in the Philippines, where some of the members are shown in drag and make-up.

It violates a law from 2021 that prohibits the display of LGBT content for minors, the authorities believe. Last week, the authorities stated that people under the age of 18 would not be allowed to visit the exhibition, but the museum responded that they cannot enforce this law. They cannot ask people for identification.

On Monday, Culture Minister Janos Csak responded by dismissing museum director Laszlo Simon with immediate effect.

Simon writes on Facebook that he is taking the decision into account, but cannot accept it as the museum has not knowingly broken any law.

– I reject the idea that our children should be protected from me or the institution I run, writes Simon.

The museum director is himself a former politician in the ruling Fidesz party, and he voted for the law in 2021.