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Protesters blocked a bridge in Budapest after the law was passed Tuesday
Hungary has passed a law banning pride marching held by the LGBTQ+ community, causing rage abroad.
Parliament voted for the measure in a process quickly followed by the right-wing prime minister under Prime Minister Victor Orban, just one day after the bill was introduced on Monday.
Orban praised the law. The law is based on the basis that events are allegedly harmful to children.
The Pride March has been held in Hungary for the past 30 years. Opposition lawmakers lit up the flares during voting session Tuesday, and demonstrators blocked a bridge in central Budapest. Human rights groups are also criticizing the move.
This is the latest measure from Orban’s government targeting the Hungarian LGBTQ+ community.
In 2020, the country abolished the legal perception of transgender people, and in 2021 politicians passed a law prohibiting portrayals of homosexuality under the age of 18.
Under the conditions of the new law, its 2021 law “prohibits holding a parliament in violation.”
Those facing fines up to 500 euros ($545, £420). That includes participants and organizers for March. Police are also allowed to use facial recognition technology to identify potential offenders.
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Opposition lawmakers light up flares with protests during voting session
The MP also revised the parliamentary rights of Hungarian parliament on Tuesday.
The law says that only events can occur at present: “respect the rights of children to appropriate physical, mental and moral development.”
Opponents of Pride Marches in Hungary and the country’s LGBTQ+ communities have generally regularly accused the lack of evidence of being dangerous to minors.
“This is not child protection, this is fascism.”
Protesters chanted outside the assembly on Tuesday: “Congress is a fundamental right.” They cut off the Margaret Bridge in Budapest Central and stared at police security guards.
EU equality commissioner Hadja Lahbib condemned the move. “Everyone should be able to live and love who they are,” she wrote to X.
“The right to gather peacefully is a fundamental right that is defended throughout the European Union. We stand with the LGBTQI community in Hungary and in all member states.”
Budapest Pride organizers criticized the decision on social media. “This is fascism, not child protection,” they wrote.
“The Democratic leader never considers limiting the fundamental rights of those who oppose him.”
Organizers have vowed to continue holding the 30th Pride March, planned for Budapest on June 28th.
Over the past few months Orban has released plans for increasing attacks on his critics, more conservative legal changes, and last year vowed to “occupy Brussels” to protect Hungary’s freedom.
His Fides party has been in office since 2010, but polls suggest that the new central right party, Tisa, will be the national leader ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections.
Wanting a more constructive relationship with the EU, Tisa was shot at the moment after Fides politician Peter Magier broke with the ruling party over what he said was Hungary’s bad running in February 2024.
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In 2019, there have been a pride march in Budapest for decades
