75,000 March in Budapest to Defend Academic Freedom

On April 9, 2017, an estimated 75,000 people marched through central Budapest in the largest protest of Orbán's second term, carrying placards reading 'Let CEU Stay' and 'I Stand With CEU.' The protest was organized within days of Lex CEU's passage, drawing students, faculty, civil society organizations, and foreign diplomats. Similar protests occurred in Warsaw, London, and Brussels. The Hungarian government dismissed the demonstration as Soros-organized astroturfing and pressed ahead with implementation, refusing to sign a bilateral treaty with the United States.