Budapest police have banned this year’s Pride march, prompting a defiant response from Mayor Gergely Karacsony. He has vowed to organize the march as a local event on June 28th.
This action is the latest escalation in the ongoing conflict between Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government and Hungary’s LGBTQ+ community. The government, supported by the city police, recently passed legislation restricting gatherings deemed to violate child protection laws regarding the public promotion of homosexuality.
Mayor Karacsony argues the police lack the authority to ban the city council’s “Day of Freedom” event, which encompasses Pride activities. He contends this event falls outside the scope of the new assembly laws.
Tens of thousands of participants from Hungary and abroad are anticipated. Karacsony defiantly stated on Facebook, “They might as well try to ban a procession of unicorns.”
The new law allows for fines ranging from €16 to €480 for identified participants, potentially using facial recognition technology. Fidesz communications chief Tamas Menczer defended the government’s actions, asserting that child protection supersedes other legal considerations and framing Pride as an unsuitable event for children.
Orbán initially announced the Pride march’s cancellation in February, followed by the restrictive assembly law in March. The Rainbow Mission foundation and human rights groups responded by planning a series of June 28th events, strategically obscuring the precise Pride event to challenge potential bans. Hungary’s Supreme Court has already overturned two police attempts to ban related events.
Mayor Karacsony and the Budapest Pride spokesperson subsequently announced the “Day of Freedom,” emphasizing its distinction from Pride, promising no overtly sexual elements. However, police still intend to prevent the procession, citing potential exposure of minors to the event, regardless of participants’ age or attire.
Budapest police chief Tamas Terdik justified the ban in a 16-page document, arguing the procession would breach child protection laws. The outcome remains uncertain. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee advises participants to refuse on-the-spot fines and pursue formal appeals if necessary, suggesting mass participation might overwhelm law enforcement’s capacity to process violations.
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He was recognised for his work organising pride events and his advocacy for same-sex parents.
The Trevor Project, an organisation involved in the service, called the change “incomprehensible”.
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After the most recent vandalism, the banner was replaced but stolen the following day.