Budapest, Hungary — Tens of thousands gathered for Budapest’s Pride march on Saturday, defying Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s legal threats against LGBTQ rights activists. Organizers estimated a record 200,000 people may have attended, despite intense pressure from nationalist politicians and police attempting to block the event under Hungary’s new “child protection” law, which restricts gatherings deemed to promote homosexuality.The police had threatened to fine participants up to €500 and use facial recognition to identify them, while organizers faced possible prison sentences of up to one year. Prime Minister Orban, speaking on state radio, warned of legal consequences but ruled out violent crackdowns, saying, “Hungary is a civilized country… there will be legal consequences, but not physical abuse.”Many attendees expressed concerns for Hungary’s future. Luca, 34, who marched with her mother, said they wanted a country embracing diversity. “We have a law that bans people who are different from gathering. That’s why we’re here,” she told the BBC, adding she feared for her daughter’s right to love freely.Barnabás, 22, who traveled from the countryside, attended to show solidarity: “I know what it feels like not to be seen and to be treated like an outcast.”EU Equalities Commissioner Hadja Lahbib joined the march, calling it a “powerful symbol of civil society’s strength” and emphasizing the importance of LGBTQ rights across the EU. Dozens of Members of the European Parliament also attended, with Finnish MEP Li Andersson stating the march was about “fundamental rights for everyone, the right to love and live freely.”Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony, an opposition figure, co-organized the event with city hall, arguing it qualified as a municipal event that did not require police approval. He promised attendees would not face reprisals.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged Orban’s government not to block the march, but Orban dismissed her plea, telling the Commission to “refrain from interfering” in Hungary’s law enforcement.
