Hungary fired a museum director over LGBTQ content in World Press Photo exhibition

Hungary’s cultural minister on Monday fired the director of the Hungarian National Museum in Budapest, accusing him of failing to comply with a contentious law that bans the display of LGBTQ content to minors.

The dismissal of Laszlo L. Simon, who became director of the museum for a five-year term in 2021, came after Hungary’s government determined in late October that five photos on display at the prestigious World Press Photo exhibition violated the law restricting children’s access to content that depicts homosexuality or gender change.

The museum subsequently put a notice on its website and at the entrance to the World Press Photo exhibition — which showcases outstanding photojournalism — that the collection was restricted to visitors over 18.

Writing on his Facebook page on Monday, Simon — a member of Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party and a former secretary of state with the cultural ministry — said that neither he nor the museum had deliberately violated Hungary’s 2021 “child protection” law.