Thousands turn out for 'illegal' Budapest Pride march
Words by Jamie Summers, ITV News Content Editor
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Budapest on Saturday to join the city's Pride event, despite it being outlawed by the Hungarian government.
Organisers say it is the largest attendance ever for Budapest Pride, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, as people turned out in defiance of the law to support the country's LGBTQ+ community.
Earlier this year, right-wing prime minister Viktor Orbán's government passed a new law which effectively made Pride illegal by limiting citizens' right to assembly.
It is the only country in the European Union to have banned Pride events.
But the move became a lightning rod for public anger, with thousands of Hungarians taking part in weekly protests in March and April against measures which many saw as an attack on civil liberties.
Supporters of Pride said consistently they would press ahead with the event, regardless of its legal status. Right-wing groups planned counter-protests along the march's route.
Earlier this month, the Mayor of Budapest gave his approval for the parade to be held in a bid to sidestep the law, but he was subsequently overruled by police.
Despite the threat of punishment, the circumstances around the event appeared to drive many to attend.
'It's very difficult to grow up as a gay man in such a conservative country like this, to become aware that you're different than others, and then accept that after all you're not different at all,' said Bálint, a 24-year-old gay man.
'I'm really angry at our government because they are tarnishing the rainbow so much. I came to previous Pride Parades with much less of a knot in my stomach.'
But others from beyond the LGBTQ+ also attended in protest at the government's actions.
Veronika, who regularly attends Budapest Pride, told ITV News this year's event is especially important.
'I came with the same love as in previous years, but this current government is so much against it. Why can't just everyone be happy?'
Under the new law, police can use facial recognition technology to issue fines ranging from around 20 to 500 euros.
It is not yet clear whether the threat to issue fines will materialise in the coming weeks - but opposition parties have indicated they will help to pay any fines or challenge them in court.
David Bedő, an opposition MP from the centrist Momentum Party, helped to organise the protests in April and encouraged people to turn out on Saturday.
'I know personally a lot of friends, acquaintances who who've never been to Pride before and now they said they're joining,' he told ITV News.
'I think this year's Pride turned into an anti-government demonstration pretty much. In the current situation, the government and the police cannot afford that anything. It's a strong message for the government.'
Bedő was banned from the Hungarian parliament for more than two months when the vote to ban Pride passed, after he and other opposition MPs let off smoke bombs in the chamber in protest – but feels the government have overreached.
He said: 'My first Pride was back in 2012, more than 13 years ago now.
"I was 20 when I first attended pride, I've been attending ever since, but I think this is probably going to be the most important Pride in the history of Hungary, so far at least.'
Dozens of politicians from across Europe also attended the parade, including the Mayors or deputy Mayors of Oslo, Barcelona and Amsterdam, while some organisations from the UK also took part.
'What's happening in Hungary is part of a broader, deeply worrying global trend, where LGBTI rights are under attack and Pride marches are increasingly being cancelled, banned, or violently disrupted,' said Sacha Deshmukh, Chief Executive of Amnesty International UK.
'Hungarians will not be pushed back. We must all continue to fight for a free, equal, and rights respecting Hungary.'
The Orbán government has previously been accused of targeting LGBTQ+ people, with bans on same-sex adoption and restrictions on people's ability to change their gender over recent years.
ILGA-Europe, an advocacy group which promotes LGBTQ+ rights across the continent, recently awarded Hungary one of the lowest scores in the European Union for its approach, with the ban on Pride singled out as an example of an increasingly authoritarian measure.
After 15 years in power, Orbán goes into a general election next spring amid poor polling and a resurgent opposition, indicating he may face an uphill battle to stay in power.
The move to ban Pride marches is the latest issue which has invoked stinging criticism from the European Union, but the Hungarian government shows little sign of changing course - Orbán posted on X this week, calling on the EU to 'refrain from interfering in the law enforcement affairs of Member States, where it has no role to play.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Chronicle
2 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Industrial firms to face £685m property tax hit after energy support pledge
Just a week after the Government's industrial strategy revealed electricity costs for about 7,000 energy-intensive businesses would be cut by scrapping green levies, estimates suggest many of the larger firms are set to see their business rates bill soar. Around 4,300 large-scale industrial properties in England – across manufacturing sectors such as automotive, aerospace and chemicals – will face a new business rates levy costing them around £685 million a year, according to tax and software firm Ryan. The levy, which comes into effect in April, is part of next year's business rates revaluation and is being used to fund tax breaks for high street retail, leisure and hospitality sectors, Ryan said. Alex Probyn, a practice leader of property tax at Ryan, said that while the industrial strategy move to reduce energy bills was welcome, 'it's perverse to then ask those very same businesses to foot the bill for high street tax cuts through higher business rates from 2026, a year before the energy support will come into effect'. He added: 'If the goal is to boost UK competitiveness, we need a coherent strategy that tackles the total burden of fixed costs — not one that gives with one hand and then takes with the other.' It follows Sir Keir Starmer's 10-year industrial strategy, which includes a measure to cut bills by up to 25% to help firms compete with foreign rivals. Under the new plans, a new British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme from 2027 will cut costs by up to £40 per megawatt hour for over 7,000 manufacturing firms by exempting them from levies on bills including the renewables obligation, feed-in tariffs and the capacity market. Around 500 of the most energy-intensive firms, including the steel industry, chemicals and glass-making, will also see their network charges cut. They currently get a 60% discount through the British Industry Supercharger scheme, which will increase to 90% from 2026. But Ryan is calling for more coherence in strategy from the Government, cautioning that any benefit from lower energy bills risks being undermined by increased property taxation. UK firms already face the highest property taxes in the developed world and more than double the European Union average, according to the firm. Mr Probyn said: 'We're seeing two opposing policies rolled out simultaneously. One aims to support industry by reducing energy costs. 'The other increases a key fixed operational cost — property tax — on the very same businesses to subsidise other sectors. 'There is no coherent strategy; it's a contradiction.' A government spokesperson said: 'We are making it easier and quicker for businesses to invest and grow by cutting British industrial electricity costs with unprecedented new support which will cut electricity costs by around 20-25% for thousands of businesses. 'Our reform to the business rates system will also create a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment and levels the playing field. 'A new, permanently lower business rates in 2026 will benefit over 280,000 retail, hospitality and leisure business properties and will be sustainably funded by a new, higher rate on the 1% of most valuable business properties.'
South Wales Guardian
3 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Industrial firms to face £685m property tax hit after energy support pledge
Just a week after the Government's industrial strategy revealed electricity costs for about 7,000 energy-intensive businesses would be cut by scrapping green levies, estimates suggest many of the larger firms are set to see their business rates bill soar. Around 4,300 large-scale industrial properties in England – across manufacturing sectors such as automotive, aerospace and chemicals – will face a new business rates levy costing them around £685 million a year, according to tax and software firm Ryan. The levy, which comes into effect in April, is part of next year's business rates revaluation and is being used to fund tax breaks for high street retail, leisure and hospitality sectors, Ryan said. Alex Probyn, a practice leader of property tax at Ryan, said that while the industrial strategy move to reduce energy bills was welcome, 'it's perverse to then ask those very same businesses to foot the bill for high street tax cuts through higher business rates from 2026, a year before the energy support will come into effect'. He added: 'If the goal is to boost UK competitiveness, we need a coherent strategy that tackles the total burden of fixed costs — not one that gives with one hand and then takes with the other.' It follows Sir Keir Starmer's 10-year industrial strategy, which includes a measure to cut bills by up to 25% to help firms compete with foreign rivals. Under the new plans, a new British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme from 2027 will cut costs by up to £40 per megawatt hour for over 7,000 manufacturing firms by exempting them from levies on bills including the renewables obligation, feed-in tariffs and the capacity market. Around 500 of the most energy-intensive firms, including the steel industry, chemicals and glass-making, will also see their network charges cut. They currently get a 60% discount through the British Industry Supercharger scheme, which will increase to 90% from 2026. But Ryan is calling for more coherence in strategy from the Government, cautioning that any benefit from lower energy bills risks being undermined by increased property taxation. UK firms already face the highest property taxes in the developed world and more than double the European Union average, according to the firm. Mr Probyn said: 'We're seeing two opposing policies rolled out simultaneously. One aims to support industry by reducing energy costs. 'The other increases a key fixed operational cost — property tax — on the very same businesses to subsidise other sectors. 'There is no coherent strategy; it's a contradiction.' A government spokesperson said: 'We are making it easier and quicker for businesses to invest and grow by cutting British industrial electricity costs with unprecedented new support which will cut electricity costs by around 20-25% for thousands of businesses. 'Our reform to the business rates system will also create a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment and levels the playing field. 'A new, permanently lower business rates in 2026 will benefit over 280,000 retail, hospitality and leisure business properties and will be sustainably funded by a new, higher rate on the 1% of most valuable business properties.'
Leader Live
3 hours ago
- Leader Live
Industrial firms to face £685m property tax hit after energy support pledge
Just a week after the Government's industrial strategy revealed electricity costs for about 7,000 energy-intensive businesses would be cut by scrapping green levies, estimates suggest many of the larger firms are set to see their business rates bill soar. Around 4,300 large-scale industrial properties in England – across manufacturing sectors such as automotive, aerospace and chemicals – will face a new business rates levy costing them around £685 million a year, according to tax and software firm Ryan. The levy, which comes into effect in April, is part of next year's business rates revaluation and is being used to fund tax breaks for high street retail, leisure and hospitality sectors, Ryan said. Alex Probyn, a practice leader of property tax at Ryan, said that while the industrial strategy move to reduce energy bills was welcome, 'it's perverse to then ask those very same businesses to foot the bill for high street tax cuts through higher business rates from 2026, a year before the energy support will come into effect'. He added: 'If the goal is to boost UK competitiveness, we need a coherent strategy that tackles the total burden of fixed costs — not one that gives with one hand and then takes with the other.' It follows Sir Keir Starmer's 10-year industrial strategy, which includes a measure to cut bills by up to 25% to help firms compete with foreign rivals. Under the new plans, a new British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme from 2027 will cut costs by up to £40 per megawatt hour for over 7,000 manufacturing firms by exempting them from levies on bills including the renewables obligation, feed-in tariffs and the capacity market. Around 500 of the most energy-intensive firms, including the steel industry, chemicals and glass-making, will also see their network charges cut. They currently get a 60% discount through the British Industry Supercharger scheme, which will increase to 90% from 2026. But Ryan is calling for more coherence in strategy from the Government, cautioning that any benefit from lower energy bills risks being undermined by increased property taxation. UK firms already face the highest property taxes in the developed world and more than double the European Union average, according to the firm. Mr Probyn said: 'We're seeing two opposing policies rolled out simultaneously. One aims to support industry by reducing energy costs. 'The other increases a key fixed operational cost — property tax — on the very same businesses to subsidise other sectors. 'There is no coherent strategy; it's a contradiction.' A government spokesperson said: 'We are making it easier and quicker for businesses to invest and grow by cutting British industrial electricity costs with unprecedented new support which will cut electricity costs by around 20-25% for thousands of businesses. 'Our reform to the business rates system will also create a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment and levels the playing field. 'A new, permanently lower business rates in 2026 will benefit over 280,000 retail, hospitality and leisure business properties and will be sustainably funded by a new, higher rate on the 1% of most valuable business properties.'
