Budapest Jewish Cultural Festival Leader Quits
- 1 Sep 2015 9:00 AM
The artistic director of the Jewish Cultural Festival, József Böjte, resigned on Monday after state secretary Csaba Latorcai was jeered off the stage as he made a speech opening the event on Sunday. The audience drowned out Latorcai with applause before he ended his speech because he was defending singer Mária Petrás, whose invitation had been withdrawn due to allegations that she had performed at anti-Semitic and far-right events in the past.
Petrás was scheduled to sing as one of several guests with the Muzsikás folk ensemble at the Dohány utca synagogue on Tuesday night.
Böjte asked Muzsikás not to include Petrás when he was informed that she had appeared at an event honouring anti-Semitic writer Albert Wass.
Muzsikás cancelled its concert, with leader Dániel Hamar saying they had known Petrás for a long time and that the charge of anti-Semitism against her is unfair.
Latorcai had said in opening the festival on Sunday that the cabinet advocates zero tolerance for anti-Semitism, but also takes a firm stand in favour of those who are wrongly accused of anti-Semitism.
Source: Hungary Around the Clock
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