 "People attend the annual Pride march in Budapest, Hungary, June 22, 2024. Reuters file")
Hungary’s Parliament has passed a bill banning Pride parades in a major setback for the LGBTQ+ community in the country. The new law will also allow authorities to use facial recognition technology to identify and fine participants later.
The new law is the latest in Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights and is the first of its kind in the history of the European Union. The ban found support from 136 MPs after it was put for a vote in the parliament on Tuesday.
The amendment to Hungary’s assembly law criminalises organising or participating in events that contravene the country’s controversial “child protection” law, which prohibits any “depiction or promotion” of homosexuality to individuals under 18. Attending a pride parade in Hungary would now attract a fine of 200,000 Hungarian forints.
Budapest pride to defy ban
Despite the ban being set into motion, organisers of the Budapest pride parade have said that they will go ahead with the event.
“This is not child protection, this is fascism. The government is trying to restrict peaceful protests with a critical voice by targeting a minority. Therefore, as a movement, we will fight for the freedom of all Hungarians to demonstrate," they said in a statement.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Budapest Pride, uniting thousands in a powerful demonstration of the community’s fight for freedom, safety, and equal rights, despite ongoing efforts by those in power to undermine their dignity.
Rights groups condemn ban
Several thousand protesters chanting anti-government slogans gathered after the vote outside Hungary’s parliament. They later staged a blockade of the Margaret Bridge over the Danube, blocking traffic and disregarding police instructions to leave the area.
A statement by Amnesty International said, “The spurious justification for the passing of this law – that events and assemblies would be ‘harmful to children’ – is based on harmful stereotypes and deeply entrenched discrimination, homophobia and transphobia.”
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More Shorts“This law is a full-frontal attack on the LGBTI community and a blatant violation of Hungary’s obligations to prohibit discrimination and guarantee freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” it added.
With inputs from agencies