Hungarian cafe mulls civil disobedience to avoid bankruptcy

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The owners of a family-run cafe in a leafy district of Hungary’s capital of Budapest had planned to defy pandemic restrictions and open their doors. But they reconsidered after the government increased penalties for breaking the rules. Around 200 restaurants across the country had said they would open up to indoor dining Monday, but the stiffer penalties and a lack of government assistance left many with few options but to wait out the crisis. Hungary’s lockdown, nearing its three-month mark, was extended until March 1 last week. A growing movement is demanding that the government either provide much-needed cash assistance, or ease the restrictions.