Thousands of protesters gathered outside parliament before marching to Margaret Bridge, chanting slogans such as "Assembly is a fundamental right" while confronting police. In parliament, opposition members staged a fiery protest, setting off smoke bombs and distributing manipulated photos of Orbán and Russian President Putin kissing.
The new law criminalises participation in events that violate Hungary’s controversial "child protection" legislation, which bans any LGBTQ+ representation to minors. Attendees risk fines of up to 200,000 forints (€546), and authorities are allowed to use facial recognition technology to identify them.
Pride organisers call the law an attempt to silence the LGBTQ+ community and have vowed to proceed with the march despite the ban. Growing numbers of Hungarians are showing their support, with many stating that they will attend Pride for the first time this year.
Orbán, who aligns himself with Putin and Trump, continues to tighten restrictions on minorities and independent media. The European Commission has already filed a lawsuit against Hungary over previous anti-LGBTQ+ laws, and this latest move is expected to further escalate tensions with the EU.
