Fight for the Pride: Budapest defies the ban on Orbán!

Fight for the Pride: Budapest defies the ban on Orbán!

The annual Pride parade is planned in Budapest on Saturday, despite the ban pronounced by the government under Viktor Orbán. This ban was justified with a "Child Protection Act" that has been prohibited from facing children with non-heterosexual lifestyles since March, and was enforced by the Hungarian government and the police. However, Mayor Gergely Karácsony has declared the Pride parade to be an official celebration of the city, which gives him the opportunity to safeguard the right of assembly and not to consider approval by the police. This represents the parade as a kind of strength sample between the government and the mayor and underlines the political tensions in Hungary. The Budapest mayor calls on the police to avoid conflicts between the Pride participants and the counter-demonstrators of the right-wing radical party Mi Hazánk, who are planning an approved counter event.

The ban has already led to nationwide protests. Thousands of people demonstrated in advance against the government's decision and the organizers hope that the parade will attract a record of participants to set a strong signal against Orbán's anti-LGBTQ laws. Over 30,000 people have participated in the parade in recent years. At the current event, more than 70 MEPs, including members of the SPÖ, Greens and Neos from Austria, have announced their participation, which underlines the international character of support for the LGBTQ community. Moritz Körner, FDP-Europe MP, emphasizes how important it is to promote acceptance and tolerance.

political tensions and international reactions

The Austrian Foreign Ministry pointed out the statement of the Hungarian government, which the Pride regards as illegal. However, it does not explicitly advise against participation. Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger from the Neos had already talked to her Hungarian counterpart in April about the ban. Meanwhile, Hungary's Minister of Justice has warned EU citizens about participation in the banned parade, with the police having the authority to use facial recognition technology to identify participants and impose fines of up to 500 euros. The organizers even threaten a one -year imprisonment.

The situation in Budapest is described as "very tense", while EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen asks the Hungarian authorities to lift the ban. Hungary Prime Minister Orbán rejected international demands and compared them with instructions from the Soviet Union. The pressure on Hungary to respect the basic rights and freedoms increases, in particular through the constant criticism of the EU. An article 7 procedure against Hungary has been running against the EU basic values since 2018. More than 30 states, including Germany, France and Great Britain, have requested the prohibition to be taken back.

The Budapest Pride has traditionally been taking place in the Andrássy út for three decades and is considered an important event for the LGBTQ community in Hungary and beyond. The coastal city thus symbolizes the resistance against unjust laws and for the equality of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation.