Latest news with #ViktorOrbán
RNZ News
3 hours ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Big crowds gather in Hungarian capital to defy ban on Budapest Pride
By Olivia Kemp , CNN People gather for the 30th Budapest Pride March in Budapest, Hungary, on July 28. Photo: AFP/BALINT SZENTGALLAY Beneath a blaze of rainbow flags and amid roars of defiance, big crowds gather in the Hungarian capital Budapest for the city's 30th annual Pride march - an event that, this year, is unfolding as both a celebration and a protest. Moving through the capital in the sweltering heat, demonstrators carried signs reading "Solidarity with Budapest Pride" and waved placards bearing crossed-out illustrations of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Music played from portable speakers as people of all ages joined the march - families with pushchairs, teenagers draped in capes and older residents walking alongside activists. From the city's historic centre to its riverside roads, the procession swelled in numbers and noise - visibly reclaiming public space in defiance of a law designed to push them out. The march proceeded in open defiance of a police ban imposed earlier this year under sweeping new legislation that prohibits LGBTQ+ events nation-wide. Eszter Rein Bodi was one of those who joined the massive crowds in Budapest on Saturday (US Time), telling Reuters: "This is about much more, not just about homosexuality… This is the last moment to stand up for our rights." Krisztina Aranyi, another marcher, told the news agency "the right to assembly is a basic human right, and I don't think it should be banned." She added, "Just because someone does not like the reason why you go to the street, or they do not agree with it, you still have the right to do so." People gather for the Budapest Pride march in Hungary's capital on Saturday. Photo: Bernadett Szabo/Reuters via CNN Newsource Huge crowds turned out in the city for the parade, with many holding home-made banners aloft. One sign read "Transgender people are a blessing on this earth" while another banner read "Proud. United. Equal in every corner of the EU." At least 70 members of the European Parliament were expected to join the procession, officials told CNN in May. Van Sparrentak, who is a Dutch MEP from the parliament's "Greens/European Free Alliance" political group, told CNN that she would be attending Budapest Pride to "support the LGBTIQ+ community in Hungary, to let them know that they are not alone (and) to be visible as a community." "Pride is a protest, and if Orbán can ban Budapest Pride without consequences, every pride is one election away from being banned," she continued. Temporary cameras were installed along the path of the Budapest Pride march, months after legislation was passed allowing the use of facial recognition technology to identify participants. Photo: Balint Szentgallay/NurPhoto/Getty Images via CNN Newsource In March, Hungarian lawmakers passed legislation barring Pride events and permitting the use of facial recognition technology to identify participants - measures campaigners said was illegal and part of a wider crackdown on the LGBTQ+ community. Orban welcomed the ban, which he said would outlaw gatherings that "violate child protection laws". His government has pushed a strongly Christian and conservative agenda. The ban sparked lively protests in Budapest in March, with organisers of the city's Pride vowing to continue with the annual festival despite the new law and declaring: "We will fight this new fascist ban." A petition demanding police reject the ban has gathered over 120,000 signatures from supporters in 73 countries, urging authorities to "reject this unjust law" - believed to be the first of its kind in the EU's recent history - and ensure that the march proceeded "unhindered and peacefully, free from discrimination, harassment, fear or violence." - CNN
The Guardian
9 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Tens of thousands defy Hungary's ban on Pride in protest against Orbán
Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets of Budapest in defiance of the Hungarian government's ban on Pride, heeding a call by the city's mayor to 'come calmly and boldly to stand together for freedom, dignity and equal rights'. Jubilant crowds packed into the city's streets on Saturday, waving Pride flags and signs that mocked the country's prime minister, Viktor Orbán, as their peaceful procession inched forward at a snail's pace. Organisers estimated that a record number of people turned up, far outstripping the expected turnout of 35,000-40,000 people. 'We believe there are 180,000 to 200,000 people attending,' the president of Pride, Viktória Radványi told AFP. 'It is hard to estimate because there have never been so many people at Budapest Pride.' The mass demonstration against the government was a bittersweet marking of Budapest Pride's 30th anniversary; while the turnout on Saturday was expected to reach record levels, it had come after the government had doubled down on its targeting of the country's LGBTQ+ community. 'We came because they tried to ban it,' said Timi, 49. The Hungarian national was marching with her daughter, Zsófi, 23, who had travelled from her home in Barcelona to join the rally. After the ruling Fidesz party, led by the rightwing populist Orbán, fast-tracked a law that made it an offence to hold or attend events that involve the 'depiction or promotion' of homosexuality to minors, many Hungarians vowed to show their disapproval by attending Pride for the first time. Viki Márton was among those who had made good on the promise, turning up with her nine-year-old daughter. The pair had come equipped with hats, water spray, and a swimsuit, more worried about heat than rightwing protesters. 'I want her to see the reality,' said Márton. 'And I'm so excited to be here!' Earlier this month, police announced they would follow the government's orders and ban the march. The progressive mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony, was swift to respond, saying that the march would instead go ahead as a separate municipal event, with Karácsony describing it as a way to circumvent the need for official authorisation. On Saturday, the mayor reiterated why the city had decided to host the event, hinting at how the march had become a symbol of discontent against a government that has long faced criticism for weakening democratic institutions and gradually undermining the rule of law. 'The government is always fighting against an enemy against which they have to protect Hungarian people,' said Karácsony. 'This time, it is sexual minorities that are the target … we believe there should be no first and second class citizens, so we decided to stand by this event.' Akos Horvath, 18, who had travelled two hours from his city in southern Hungary to take part in the march, described it as an event of 'symbolic importance'. Speaking to news agency AFP, he added: 'It's not just about representing gay people, but about standing up for the rights of the Hungarian people.' The sentiment was echoed by fellow marcher Eszter Rein-Bódi. 'This is about much more, not just about homosexuality,' Rein-Bódi told Reuters 'This is the last moment to stand up for our rights.' Tens of thousands of Hungarians, including senior citizens and parents with their children, plus politicians and campaigners from 30 countries, took to the streets on Saturday, despite Orbán's warning on Friday that those who attend or organise the march will face 'legal consequences'. The Hungarian prime minister sought to minimise concerns over violence, however, saying that Hungary was a 'civilised country' and police would not 'break it up … It cannot reach the level of physical abuse'. Still, in a video posted to social media this week, the country's justice minister, Bence Tuzson, warned the Budapest mayor that organising a banned event or encouraging people to attend is punishable by up to a year in prison. Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion Speaking to reporters on Friday, the mayor brushed off the threat and downplayed concerns that police would later impose heavy fines on attende s. 'Police have only one task tomorrow: to guarantee the safety and security of those gathered at the event,' said Karácsony. The potential for violence had been amplified after three groups with ties to the extreme right said they were planning counter-marches. As the Pride march got under way, local news site Telex reported that the route of the march had to be changed after one of these groups blocked off a bridge. Analysts had described the government's bid to crackdown on Pride as part of a wider effort to curb democratic freedoms ahead of a hotly contested national election next year. Orbán is facing an unprecedented challenge from a former member of the Fidesz party's elite, Péter Magyar, leading Pride organisers to suggest they are being scapegoated as Orbán scrambles to shore up support among conservative voters. Orbán's government had also prompted concerns across Hungary and beyond after it said it would use facial recognition software to identify people attending any banned events, potentially fining them up to €500 (£425). Ahead of the march, as campaigners scrambled for clarity on whether or how this technology would be used, AFP reported that newly installed cameras had appeared on the lamp-posts that dotted the planned route. The threat had been enough to rattle some. Elton, 30, a Brazilian living in Hungary wore a hat and sunglasses as he took part on Saturday, explaining that he had been worried about jeopardising his job and immigration status, but that his Hungarian boyfriend had persuaded him to attend. 'This is my second time at Pride, but the first time I feel insecure about it,' he said. Mici, a 21-year-old Budapest resident, said she had attended Pride marches in the past but this time had weighed whether to join in after she was spooked by reports of the facial recognition system. 'At first, I was scared to come out because of the news, but I feel safe with so many people.' She hoped that the massive turnout for the march would be enough to push the Orbán government to change its stance. 'I think the crowd that has come from across Europe, the record numbers, will make Hungarian people see that this cause is well-supported.'
Toronto Star
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Around 100,000 march in Budapest Pride in open defiance of Hungary's ban
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Around 100,000 people defied a government ban and police orders Saturday to march in what organizers called the largest LGBTQ+ Pride event in Hungary's history in an open rebuke of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's government. Marchers gambled with potential police intervention and heavy fines to participate in the 30th annual Budapest Pride, which was outlawed in March by Orbán's right-wing populist governing party.
The Guardian
9 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Tens of thousands defy Hungary's ban on Pride in protest against Orbán
Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets of Budapest in defiance of the Hungarian government's ban on Pride, heeding a call by the city's mayor to 'come calmly and boldly to stand together for freedom, dignity and equal rights'. Jubilant crowds packed into the city's streets on Saturday, waving Pride flags and signs that mocked the country's prime minister, Viktor Orbán, as their peaceful procession inched forward at a snail's pace. Organisers estimated that a record number of people turned up, far outstripping the expected turnout of 35,000-40,000 people. 'We believe there are 180,000 to 200,000 people attending,' the president of Pride, Viktória Radványi told AFP. 'It is hard to estimate because there have never been so many people at Budapest Pride.' The mass demonstration against the government was a bittersweet marking of Budapest Pride's 30th anniversary; while the turnout on Saturday was expected to reach record levels, it had come after the government had doubled down on its targeting of the country's LGBTQ+ community. 'We came because they tried to ban it,' said Timi, 49. The Hungarian national was marching with her daughter, Zsófi, 23, who had travelled from her home in Barcelona to join the rally. After the ruling Fidesz party, led by the rightwing populist Orbán, fast-tracked a law that made it an offence to hold or attend events that involve the 'depiction or promotion' of homosexuality to minors, many Hungarians vowed to show their disapproval by attending Pride for the first time. Viki Márton was among those who had made good on the promise, turning up with her nine-year-old daughter. The pair had come equipped with hats, water spray, and a swimsuit, more worried about heat than rightwing protesters. 'I want her to see the reality,' said Márton. 'And I'm so excited to be here!' Earlier this month, police announced they would follow the government's orders and ban the march. The progressive mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony, was swift to respond, saying that the march would instead go ahead as a separate municipal event, with Karácsony describing it as a way to circumvent the need for official authorisation. On Saturday, the mayor reiterated why the city had decided to host the event, hinting at how the march had become a symbol of discontent against a government that has long faced criticism for weakening democratic institutions and gradually undermining the rule of law. 'The government is always fighting against an enemy against which they have to protect Hungarian people,' said Karácsony. 'This time, it is sexual minorities that are the target … we believe there should be no first and second class citizens, so we decided to stand by this event.' Akos Horvath, 18, who had travelled two hours from his city in southern Hungary to take part in the march, described it as an event of 'symbolic importance'. Speaking to news agency AFP, he added: 'It's not just about representing gay people, but about standing up for the rights of the Hungarian people.' The sentiment was echoed by fellow marcher Eszter Rein-Bódi. 'This is about much more, not just about homosexuality,' Rein-Bódi told Reuters 'This is the last moment to stand up for our rights.' Tens of thousands of Hungarians, including senior citizens and parents with their children, plus politicians and campaigners from 30 countries, took to the streets on Saturday, despite Orbán's warning on Friday that those who attend or organise the march will face 'legal consequences'. The Hungarian prime minister sought to minimise concerns over violence, however, saying that Hungary was a 'civilised country' and police would not 'break it up … It cannot reach the level of physical abuse'. Still, in a video posted to social media this week, the country's justice minister, Bence Tuzson, warned the Budapest mayor that organising a banned event or encouraging people to attend is punishable by up to a year in prison. Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion Speaking to reporters on Friday, the mayor brushed off the threat and downplayed concerns that police would later impose heavy fines on attende s. 'Police have only one task tomorrow: to guarantee the safety and security of those gathered at the event,' said Karácsony. The potential for violence had been amplified after three groups with ties to the extreme right said they were planning counter-marches. As the Pride march got under way, local news site Telex reported that the route of the march had to be changed after one of these groups blocked off a bridge. Analysts had described the government's bid to crackdown on Pride as part of a wider effort to curb democratic freedoms ahead of a hotly contested national election next year. Orbán is facing an unprecedented challenge from a former member of the Fidesz party's elite, Péter Magyar, leading Pride organisers to suggest they are being scapegoated as Orbán scrambles to shore up support among conservative voters. Orbán's government had also prompted concerns across Hungary and beyond after it said it would use facial recognition software to identify people attending any banned events, potentially fining them up to €500 (£425). Ahead of the march, as campaigners scrambled for clarity on whether or how this technology would be used, AFP reported that newly installed cameras had appeared on the lamp-posts that dotted the planned route. The threat had been enough to rattle some. Elton, 30, a Brazilian living in Hungary wore a hat and sunglasses as he took part on Saturday, explaining that he had been worried about jeopardising his job and immigration status, but that his Hungarian boyfriend had persuaded him to attend. 'This is my second time at Pride, but the first time I feel insecure about it,' he said. Mici, a 21-year-old Budapest resident, said she had attended Pride marches in the past but this time had weighed whether to join in after she was spooked by reports of the facial recognition system. 'At first, I was scared to come out because of the news, but I feel safe with so many people.' She hoped that the massive turnout for the march would be enough to push the Orbán government to change its stance. 'I think the crowd that has come from across Europe, the record numbers, will make Hungarian people see that this cause is well-supported.'
The Hill
9 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Around 100,000 march in Budapest Pride in defiance of Hungary's ban
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Around 100,000 people defied a government ban and police orders on Saturday to march in what organizers called the largest LGBTQ+ Pride event in Hungary's history in an open rebuke of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's government. Marchers gambled with potential police intervention and heavy fines to participate in the 30th annual Budapest Pride, which was outlawed by a law passed in March by Orbán's right-wing populist governing party. The march began at Budapest City hall and wound through the city center before crossing the capital's Erzsébet Bridge over the Danube River. Police diverted the crowd from its planned route to keep it separated from a small group of far-right counterprotesters, while members of Hungary's LGBTQ+ community and large numbers of supporters danced to music and waved rainbow and anti-government flags. The massive size of the march, which the government for months had insisted would no longer be permitted in Hungary, was seen as a major blow to Orbán's prestige, as the European Union's longest-serving leader's popularity slumps in the polls where a new opposition force has taken the lead. Some participants said that the march wasn't only about defending the fundamental rights of sexual minorities, but also addressed what they see as an accelerating crackdown on democratic processes under Orbán's rule. Orbán and his party have insisted that Pride, a celebration of LGBTQ+ visibility and struggle for equal rights, was a violation of children's rights to moral and spiritual development — rights that a recent constitutional amendment declared took precedence over other fundamental rights, including that to peacefully assemble. The law fast-tracked through parliament in March made it an offense to hold or attend events that 'depict or promote' homosexuality to minors under age 18. Orbán earlier made clear that Budapest Pride was the explicit target of the law. Authorities installed additional cameras throughout the city center before the march, and were expected to use facial recognition tools to identify individuals who attend the banned event. According to the new law, being caught attending Pride could result in fines of up to 200,000 Hungarian forints ($586). The ban was the latest crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights by Orbán's government, which has already effectively banned both same-sex adoption and same-sex marriage and disallowed transgender individuals from changing their sex in official documents. Police rejected several requests by organizers in recent weeks to register the Pride march, citing the recent law. But Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony joined with organizers and declared it would be held as a separate municipal event — something he said that doesn't require police approval. But Hungary's government has remained firm, insisting that holding the Pride march, even if it's sponsored by the city, would be unlawful. Hungary's justice minister this week warned Karácsony that organizing Pride or encouraging people to attend would be punishable by up to a year in prison. More than 70 members of the European Parliament, as well as other officials from countries around Europe, participated in Saturday's march. Hadja Lahbib, the EU's commissioner for humanitarian aid and crisis management, earlier said that 'all eyes are on Budapest' as Pride marchers defy the government's ban.
