Government bans Rainbow March: protests against discrimination!

Government bans Rainbow March: protests against discrimination!

Hungarian police have banned an LGBTQIA+ event, a rainbow march for community rights, planned for June 1 in Budapest. The police justified this ban with reference to a current legal framework for child protection. According to the report from the online portal oe24 However, human rights organizations see this ban as politically motivated and arbitrary.

Five human rights organizations, including the Hungarian Helsinki Committee and Amnesty International Hungary, plan to protest against the decision. Their goal is to draw attention to the ongoing criminalization of trans people in Hungary, which has become increasingly drastic over the past five years.

Legal basis and social reactions

The police are citing changes to the Assembly and Child Protection Act, which was passed in March. This law states that children have a right to protection and adequate development. A newly inserted passage stipulates that no assembly in Hungary may violate these laws, effectively banning pride parades. The Fidesz-KDNP coalition, which operates with a two-thirds majority in parliament, pushed through this constitutional change after massive criticism from the EU. The Report from the Tagesschau highlights that the demonstrations against the ban on the “Gay Parade” called the “Gray Parade” took place in Budapest last weekend.

Human rights activists have sharply criticized this legislation as it severely restricts not only Pride events, but also the general visibility of the LGBTQIA+ community in Hungary. In particular, access to media that discusses homosexuality was banned for minors in 2021.

International criticism and legal action

The international reactions to the Hungarian measures are consistently negative. According to one European Parliament resolution the Hungarian law is seen as a clear violation of fundamental rights within the EU. The legally anchored concept of gender, which only recognizes male or female, is seen as part of a gradual dismantling of fundamental rights.

Citizenship issues, including the temporary suspension of dual nationals without requiring justification, are other controversial points. MEPs are calling on the EU Commission to launch an accelerated infringement procedure to prosecute these human rights violations. It also highlights the need to review financial support for anti-LGBTIQ campaigns in the EU. Critics fear that the Hungarian government is contextualizing pedophilia and homosexuality, which is further driving social division.