Geert Wilders accuses Budapest mayor of Nazi salute during Pride march
Wilders, leader of the Party for Freedom (PVV), posted the allegation on social media, claiming Karácsony made "an antisemitic Nazi gesture" while Amsterdam's mayor "stood laughing behind him."
Meanwhile, the Budapest mayor posted a different video on his Facebook account showing the speech from another camera angle. The footage shows Karácsony addressing the crowd while pointing toward Budapest's Carmelite monastery, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's official residence, saying, "They have no power over us."
Some 200,000 people reportedly attended Saturday's Pride march in Budapest, making it the largest in the event's history, according to organisers.
The Hungarian government attempted to block the Pride event in March by amending its laws in what it claimed were concerns over the protection of minors, to much furore from Brussels and European and international LGBTQ+ organisations.
However, the Budapest municipality circumvented the restrictions by organising it as a municipal event rather than a public assembly.
Wilders led his PVV party to victory in Dutch parliamentary elections in November 2023. After months of coalition negotiations, he helped form a four-party right-wing government in May 2024, but withdrew from the coalition in early June due to disagreements over immigration policy.
The PVV is known for its anti-immigration platform and has faced criticism for inflammatory rhetoric regarding minority communities.
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