Mayor of Budapest questioned in rainbow shirt following Pride Parade appearance - Mayor of Budapest attends Pride Parade while under scrutiny for wearing a rainbow shirt
In the heart of Budapest, the annual Pride Parade took place on June 28, 2025, despite a police ban. The event, which attracted an estimated crowd of 100,000 to 200,000 people, was a significant show of solidarity for the rights of LGBTQ individuals.
The city's mayor, Gergely Karácsony, was summoned by the police for questioning as a suspect in connection with co-organizing the banned event. This summons came weeks after the event, following the city's support amid the official ban by the government and police. Justice Minister Bence Tuzson had previously warned Karácsony of possible imprisonment for his role in defying the ban.
The background to this situation lies in a law passed in 2021, which bans depictions of homosexuality in front of minors. This law has been a part of a broader trend of tightening restrictions on LGBTQ rights in Hungary, a trend that has been ongoing for several years.
Karácsony, a member of the Green Party, argued that the Pride Parade, as a municipal event commemorating the withdrawal of Soviet troops, was not subject to the law on assembly and thus could not be legally prohibited. The police, however, treated it as a prohibited assembly and issued the ban.
As of late July 2025, the hearing or investigation regarding the mayor’s involvement is ongoing. The situation reflects political tensions between the Hungarian government, led by Viktor Orbán, who attempted to cancel the event, and the mayor’s decision to uphold it as a municipal freedom celebration.
The Pride Parade in Budapest was not without its challenges. The Hungarian parliament had passed an amendment in mid-March targeting a ban on the annual event. Despite this, the parade went ahead, with dozens of members of the European Parliament participating to show their solidarity.
The event was also monitored closely, with authorities using facial recognition technology during the parade. The opposition Budapest city government made itself a co-organizer of the event to ensure it took place, despite the ban.
Karácsony's actions have improved his standing among opposition voters and international observers but have also exposed him to legal risk. As of the end of July 2025, no final judicial outcome or verdict related to the mayor’s hearing has been reported. The police questioning is part of the ongoing investigation following the banned Pride event.
Sources: 1. BBC News 2. Reuters 3. The Guardian 4. Al Jazeera
- Listen, Budapest, my dear, on the way to the pride parade, the politics surrounding the event were heated as the city's mayor, Gergely Karácsony, was summoned for questioning regarding his role in co-organizing the banned parade.
- In the midst of the general-news about the Pride Parade, it is crucial to note that the event, indeed, reflected political tensions between the Hungarian government and the mayor, with Karácsony facing legal risks for his decision to uphold it despite the ban.
