John Downing: Budapest mayor and prime minister Viktor Orban face off over Pride parade
For 30 years, Budapest's Pride march has asserted and celebrated the rights of gay, bisexual and transgender people, but the parade scheduled for today has been banned by the Hungarian government, though it is supported by the city's mayor.
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Irish Times
27 minutes ago
- Irish Times
Tens of thousands expected to attend Budapest Pride in defiance of ban
Tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ rights supporters are expected to attend the Budapest Pride march on Saturday, defying a police ban as the event has become a symbol of the years-long struggle between Hungary 's nationalist government and civil society. Prime minister Viktor Orban 's government has gradually curtailed the rights of the LGBTQ+ community in the past decade, and its lawmakers passed a law in March that allows for the ban of Pride, citing the need to protect children. Opponents see the move as part of a wider crackdown on democratic freedoms in advance of a general election next year when Orban will face a strong opposition challenger. Organisers said they expect tens of thousands to attend, with participants arriving from 30 different countries, including European Commissioner for Equality Hadja Lahbib and about 70 members of the European Parliament. READ MORE More than 30 embassies have expressed support for the march and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen called on Hungarian authorities to let the parade go ahead. Seventy Hungarian civil society groups, including the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, Transparency International Hungary and the Hungarian Helsinki Commission, published an open letter on Friday in support of the march, saying the law that led to the police ban 'serves to intimidate the entire society'. Budapest mayor Gergely Karacsony tried to circumvent the law by organising the march as a municipal event, which he said does not need a permit. However, police banned the event, arguing that it fell under the scope of the child protection law. Mr Orban, whose government promotes a Christian-conservative agenda, provided clues on Friday about what participants can expect when he warned of 'legal consequences' for organising and attending the march. [ Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman to take part in banned Budapest Pride march Opens in new window ] Earlier this week justice minister Bence Tuzson warned in a letter sent to some foreign embassies in Budapest that organising a prohibited event is punishable by one year in jail, while attending counts as a misdemeanour. The law that allows for the ban of Pride lets police impose fines and use facial recognition cameras to identify people who attend. When asked about the threat of a one-year jail term, Mr Karacsony said at a press briefing on Friday that such a sentence would only boost his popularity. 'But I cannot take it seriously,' he said. Making the march a key topic of political discourse has allowed the Orban government to take the initiative back from the opposition and mobilise its voter base, said Zoltan Novak, an analyst at the Centre for Fair Political Analysis think tank. [ A quarter of major US corporate backers pull out of Dublin Pride over Trump fears Opens in new window ] 'In the past 15 years, Fidesz decided what topics dominated the political world,' he said, noting that this has become more difficult as Orban's party has faced an increasing challenge from centre-right opposition leader Peter Magyar's Tisza party, which has a 15-point lead over Orban's Fidesz in a recent poll. Tisza, which has been avoiding taking a strong position on gay rights issues, did not specify in response to Reuters questions whether it believed the Pride march was lawful, but said those attending deserved the state's protection. 'Peter Magyar has called on the Hungarian authorities and police to protect the Hungarian people this Saturday, and on other days as well, even if it means standing up against the arbitrariness of power,' its press office said. Mr Magyar himself will not attend. – Reuters
Irish Independent
44 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Meet the team behind Kilkenny's first ever Pride parade – ‘We were the only county without one, we had to act'
This July, Kilkenny will host its first Pride festival in over a decade and its first ever Pride parade Today at 05:00 This July is a historic month for both Kilkenny and the LGBTQI+ community in Ireland. Ten years after the people of Ireland voted overwhelmingly to legalise same-sex marriage in Ireland, another milestone in Ireland's quest for equality has been reached.
RTÉ News
44 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
Over 100,000 people expected at Dublin Pride 2025
Dublin City Council has said it expects over 100,000 people to be in the capital today for this year's Dublin Pride March and Parade. The organisers describe the event as a milestone anniversary year as it celebrates ten years of marriage equality. In this, his last year as President, Micheal D Higgins sent a message to all those participating in Pride and wished them his "warmest greetings". He said the celebration is "a vital affirmation of the rights, dignity, and joy of our LGBT+ communities". President Higgins said Pride is a time to "remember with gratitude the courage of those who paved the way for progress when marching was not safe, who gave voice to truths that were long silenced, and who set the foundations for the inclusive Ireland that we continue to strive towards today." Today's main event is a parade through the city centre will start at 12.30pm, led by an Taoiseach Micheál Martin. The parade will last for around two hours, and will leave from O'Connell street, with both sides of the main thoroughfare will be full with seven different assembly zones for the many groups and organisations involved. The parade will move off from O'Connell street at around 12.30pm, then make its way along Eden Quay and Custom House Quay before crossing the Talbot Memorial Bridge and then making its way up Lombard Street and Westland Row before finishing at Merrion Square. There will be a festival at Pride Village at Merrion Square. The non-ticketed alcohol free event will have food stalls, and a main stage for speeches and music acts throughout the afternoon. Organisers say there are 12,000 individuals registered to march in the parade - from 200 different organisations, with thousands of members of the LGBTQ+ community and their families and friends expected to participate and line the parade route. There will be road closures in place and public transport will be affected. There are accessibility supports available for people who need them including a quiet area and a quieter bus for those with neurodivergent participants. There are a number of pride activities running throughout the weekend including lots of arts and cultural events.
