Thousands of protesters gathered in Hungary’s capital for four consecutive weeks on Tuesday to oppose a new law enacted by populist prime minister Victor Orban’s nationalist government banning LGBTQ+ pride events.
The law, which was quickly tracked through Congress in March, prohibits events depicting homosexuality in individuals under the age of 18. The move comes amid rising accusations that Orban’s government is undermining democracy ahead of next year’s national elections.
The law makes it illegal to organise or attend events like pride. This is a direct attack on Hungary’s LGBTQ+ community and an unfair limit on the right to frame it by legal experts and human rights groups.
Authorities can also use facial recognition technology to identify individuals taking part in banned events, such as Budapest Pride, which attracts tens of thousands of people each year. Criminals could face fines (490 euros) for up to 200,000 Hungarians.
Protesters demanded that the Ertzseet Bridge on the Danube be filled and the law was repealed. Some protesters plan to stay on the bridge overnight, with reports of plans to block all five Central Danube bridges. No violence was reported during the protest.
One of the protesters, Viktória Vajda, emphasized that efforts to engage with Orbán’s government had failed. “If we don’t stand up to the rights of minorities and our own fundamental rights, who will do so when they come for us?” she said. “We’ve reached the point where we have to get up and say ‘Now’. ”
Protesters rejected police orders to disperse from Budapest bridges and main roads. In a rare example of protest outside the capital, hundreds of demonstrators from Miss Cork, an eastern city in Hungary, also headed out on the streets on Tuesday against the law.
The government defends the law and claims it protects children from “sexual propaganda.” However, as Orban’s party struggles with polls, critics argue that the law is part of a broader strategy to scapegoat sexual minorities and bring together his conservative foundations.
