For his thirty years, she was announced as “the greatest pride” since its creation in 1995. But Hungarian Prime Minister, the conservative Viktor Orbán, decided to play the spoilsport, prohibiting the march of pride in spring that must be held this Saturday, June 28 in Budapest.
It is not enough to discourage thousands of participants, Hungarians and Europeans, supported by the mayor of Budapest Gergely Karacsary, who decided to keep pride despite the threats of reprisals from the authorities.
• Why does the Hungarian government prohibit pride?
The Hungarian government, known for its positions that restrict the rights of LGBT+people, prohibited Budapest’s pride on the principle of a controversial law, voted by Parliament in 2021, where Fidesz, Viktor Orbán’s party, enjoys a large majority.
The text prohibits any public representation of LGBT+people, qualifying it as harmful to minors by promoting a different gender identity from birth, sex change and homosexuality. “
The Iliberal leader Viktor Orbán has been hindering the rights of LGBT+ people for years in the name of “Child Protection”.
• What response from the city of Budapest?
Despite this ban, 35,000 people are expected in the streets of the Hungarian capital on Saturday. After the prohibition of the progress of pride, the environmental mayor of the city Gergely Karacssary decided to transform it into an event organized by the municipality, which did not require an official authorization.
“Freedom and love cannot be banished,” he writes on social networks.
On the eve of the walk, Viktor Orbán rejected this argument. “Hungarian regulations are clear. Any event must be registered and authorized by the Police” and “if someone breaks the law, there will be legal consequences,” he warned.
• What risk participants?
Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, dismissed any intervention by the police against the progress of pride in Budapest despite prohibition measures, but warned the participants against the legal consequences.
“Of course, the police could disperse such events, because they have the right, but Hungary is a civilized country,” said the manager of his traditional interview on Friday on the state radio, ensuring that she would use “physical violence.”
Pride participants are exposed to fines of up to 500 euros, while organizing or calling to participate is subject to a year in prison. Also keep in mind that the police can use facial recognition cameras to identify participants.
• What reactions in Europe?
The prohibition of Budapest pride has aroused a wave of indignation internationally. On March 27, ambassadors from 22 countries, including France, Germany, Spain or the United Kingdom, expressed concern against “restrictions on the right of peaceful meeting and freedom of expression.”
On Monday, around thirty European countries renewed their support to the LBGTI+ community and around sixty Eurodiputados will travel to Budapest on Saturday. On Thursday, France announced that it would send its ambassador for the rights of LGBT+ people, Jean-Marc Berthon, to “reaffirm France’s commitment to freedom, protection and rights of LGBT+ people within the European Union,” he writes in X.
On the same network, Ursula von der Leyen called on Wednesday “the Hungarian authorities to allow Budapest’s pride to take place. Without fear of criminal or administrative sanctions against organizers or participants.”
An argument that Viktor Orbán punished on the public radio this Friday. “This is Hungary as a vassal country and thinks that it can dictate to the Hungarian of Brussels how they should live, (…) what should be banned and what should not be. Exactly like (the Soviet leader Léonid) Brejnev,” said the nationalist official, who often compares “the Brussels empire” with the guardianship of the guardianship of the tutelage of the tutelage of the tutelage of the tutelage of The tutelag.
Source: BFM TV
