Hungary: Police ban Pride march, Budapest mayor persists and announces it will go ahead

Hungarian police announced on Thursday that they were banning the Pride march planned for June 28 in Budapest, citing a recent anti-LGBT+ law by Viktor Orban 's nationalist government, but the capital's Green mayor responded by going ahead with the rally.

“Behaviors prohibited by law”

"The police, acting within the framework of their authority regarding public gatherings, have banned the holding of the demonstration," it said in a decision published on its website, which can, however, be challenged before the Supreme Court (Curia).

The 16-page document refers to the law passed in mid-March aimed at banning any gathering that violates the 2021 legislation prohibiting the discussion of "homosexuality and gender reassignment" with minors. It also relies on a constitutional amendment passed shortly afterward affirming "the primacy of children's right to proper physical, mental, and moral development over all other rights," including the right to assemble.

"It cannot be ruled out that people under the age of 18 may be exposed to behaviors prohibited by law," by attending the march or "passively" due to its public nature, the police chief argued. According to the authorities, the march must be organized in a specific location out of the sight of children.

"It is our constitutional right."

For the mayor of Budapest, who announced on Monday that he would take charge of the organization in the hope of circumventing the legislation, "this banning decision has no value." No official authorization is necessary given that it is a "municipal event," Gergely Karacsony wrote on Facebook. "On June 28, the municipality will organize Budapest Pride. Period."

"Together with Budapest, we will protect" the LGBT+ community, but also "those who are afraid and remain silent, civil society" as a whole, promised Maté Hegedus, spokesperson for the Pride march, earlier this week. "It is our constitutional right to gather peacefully."

Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been hampering LGBT+ rights for years in the name of "protecting children" and has taken a step forward by pushing through these new measures, which have raised concerns in Brussels and many EU countries. After their adoption, thousands of people demonstrated in the capital to protest this latest tightening of measures.

MEPs in the procession

On the left and center, several dozen MEPs—including centrist leader Valérie Hayer and Green leader Terry Reintke—plan to join the march to denounce the policies of Viktor Orban, who has been accused of authoritarianism during his 15 years in power. European Commissioner for Equality Hadja Lahbib is also expected to attend, as are ministers from European countries, according to organizers.

Participants face a fine of up to €500, which will be donated to child protection. The police will be able to identify offenders using facial recognition tools.