Thousands protested in Budapest against a new law aimed at banning the annual Pride march for LGBTQ+ communities and permitting the use of facial recognition software to identify organizers and participants.
Hungary's parliament passed the law proposed by ruling Fidesz party lawmakers, citing concerns that the event could be harmful to children. Prime Minister Viktor Orban, facing a significant challenge from a resurgent opposition party ahead of the 2026 elections, has criticized the LGBTQ+ community and intensified efforts to curb foreign funding for independent media and NGOs in Hungary as part of his campaign.
Orban, who has been in power since 2010, promotes a Christian-conservative agenda. Independent MP Akos Hadhazy, one of the protest organizers, wrote on Facebook, "The vile law passed last Tuesday is not merely about banning Pride; it effectively enables the suppression of any form of protest in the future."
Approximately 2,000 participants, according to on-site estimates, included protesters and activists from the Momentum party who chanted "Europe" and "Filthy Fidesz" while attempting to block a key bridge. Zsuzsa Szabo, 72, who traveled from Kecskemet to join the protest, remarked, "This is not about Pride; this is about freedom of assembly. They are trying to curtail the right to assembly, maybe end it completely."
Last Tuesday, following the expedited passage of the bill, protesters blocked a bridge in central Budapest. The city's liberal mayor, Gergely Karacsony, criticized the law, and members of the opposition Momentum party ignited smoke flares in protest during the parliamentary vote. Festival organizers maintain that the annual Pride march poses no threat to children and vow to hold the event despite the ban.