In a moment that defined the very concept of ‘Pride as a Protest’, up to 200,000 people came out to march in Budapest Pride on June 28, in defiance of Hungary’s authoritarian leader, Viktor Orbán, who had only just deemed such parades illegal in April. Organisers had only be expecting 20,000 to 40,000 people to attend.
Hungary has recently emerged as one of the flashpoints for the world’s shrinking LGBTQ+ human rights. Orbán fast-tracked the so-called ‘child protection’ laws in April, which make it an offence to hold or attend events that involve the ‘depiction or promotion of homosexuality to minors’. The enforcement measures even go so far as to allow police to use facial recognition technology, which has been condemned by civil liberties groups and European Union politicians.
In response, many ordinary Hungarians, concerned about their country’s creeping authoritarianism, showed their disapproval by attending Pride for the first time. They were joined by leaders from around Europe, including 70 members of the European parliament and delegations from 30 countries.
Despite the official ban, the police did not intervene, and the demonstration remained joyful and peaceful. The police had to adjust the march route at one point when far-right groups attempted to block one of the city’s main bridges.
Orbán’s main rival, Hungarian opposition leader, Peter Magyar, accused Orbán of trying “to turn Hungarian against Hungarian, in order to create fear and divide us”. Sound like someone?
