In Budapest, the police have declared they will not proceed with investigations against participants of the Pride parade, which took place at the end of June, despite the event being prohibited. This decision comes amid concerns from opposition politicians that participants could face fines, and with the possibility of organizers being sentenced to up to a year in prison.
The Pride parades are celebrated worldwide to support the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans (LGBTQ+) community. In a statement, the Budapest police acknowledged that the event’s organizers had created public uncertainty regarding its legal status. The city’s liberal mayor, Gergely Karácsony, had declared Pride an official municipal event, arguing that this renders the government’s ban irrelevant.
Following the event, a record crowd of over 200,000 participants was reported, significantly higher than the previous record of 35,000. The law in Hungary exempts municipal and state events from public assembly decisions, and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a right-wing populist, had previously described the event as “repulsive and shameful,” accusing the EU of orchestrating the parade. Orbán’s government has been amending legislation and the constitution as part of a broader anti-LGBTQ+ agenda, including a law passed in March that allows for the banning of Pride marches under the guise of protecting children.
Authorities had used facial recognition software to identify Pride participants in advance. Despite the anti-LGBTQ+ measures and the threat of penalties, the Pride parade in Budapest attracted a record turnout, indicating a growing opposition to Orbán’s policies. The prime minister is also facing increasing challenges from center-right opposition leader Péter Magyar’s Tisza party ahead of next year’s elections.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/budapest-police-relent-in-pursuit-of-pride-participants/a-73191022?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
