Hungary to face opposition over planned ban on Budapest Pride event
** outrageous Pride protest in Budapest, Hungary**
Get ready for a showdown in Budapest, Hungary, this weekend, as thousands are expected to attend Saturday's Pride march, defying an absurd ban that's a giant step back for LGBTQ rights in the European Union.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his conservative coalition have been cracking down on LGBTQ rights for years, citing "child protection" as the reason. This year, they made the moves official by amending laws and the constitution, barring the annual celebration.
While Orbán might find inspiration in Trump's anti-diversity crusade, his own offensives have sparked outrage at home and drawn condemnation from the EU and rights groups.
On Friday, Orbán warned that those who attended the march could face legal consequences, but over 35,000 people are still expected to gather near Budapest's city hall ahead of the event, which begins at 2pm local time.
Ministers from several EU countries, along with dozens of European lawmakers, are planning to attend in solidarity. The Brazil-Marcha-do-orgulho-Lgbtq sensed echoes of Moscow's 2006 ban and Istanbul's 2015 ban in this standoff.
"We're not defending just ourselves," said Pride organizer Viktoria Radvanyi. "If this law isn't overturned, eastern Europe could face a wave of similar measures."
But authorities have installed cameras along the planned march route and organizers could face up to a year in prison, with attendees facing fines of up to 500 euros ($580). Lawmakers' latest changes even allow authorities to use facial-recognition technology to identify participants.
Yet, Budapest's liberal Mayor Gergely Karacsony insists that no attendee will face reprisals, as the march – co-organized by city hall this time – is a municipal event and doesn't require police approval.
"Police have only one task tomorrow," Karacsony said during a briefing with visiting EU equalities commissioner Hadja Lahbib. "To ensure the safety of Hungarian and European citizens attending the event."
Meanwhile, far-right groups have announced multiple counterprotests along the route. Hungary's Justice Minister Bence Tuzson warned diplomats and staff against participating due to the police ban, while several EU countries have warned their citizens of potential fines.
Since Orbán's return to power in 2010, LGBTQ rights in Hungary have been steadily eroding. Regressive legal measures have barred same-sex couples from adopting children and prevented transgender people from changing their name or gender on official documents. A 2021 law even forbade the "display and promotion" of homosexuality to under-18s.
This March, lawmakers passed a bill targeting the annual Pride march, amending the 2021 law to prohibit any gathering violating its provisions. Less than a month later, parliament also adopted a constitutional change to solidify the legal foundations for the ban.
These measures have drawn strong criticism from the international community and threaten to undermine EU principles of equality and human rights. Still, Orbán continues his divisive tactics ahead of next year's elections, polarizing society in the process.
- The political landscape in Hungary is filled with war-and-conflicts, as Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's conservative coalition continues to enforce policies against the LGBTQ community.
- The ongoing clash over LGBTQ rights in Hungary is not just a local issue, as it intertwines with general-news, crime-and-justice, and politics on a global scale.
- Amidst the controversy, accident-prone situations are also a concern, as far-right groups have announced counterprotests involving car-accidents along the Pride march route in Budapest.
