Political tensions in Budapest have intensified during Pride month after rainbow flags displayed on the city’s Elizabeth Bridge were targeted in a highly controversial incident, with a video circulating online appearing to show one of the flags being torn down and thrown into the Danube.

The case has prompted a police investigation, while far-right opposition politician Előd Novák said he would cover any fine imposed on the person involved. At the same time, Hungary has seen an unusual display of international diplomatic support, with 44 embassies and cultural institutes issuing a joint statement backing Budapest Pride and the country’s LGBTQ+ community.

However the issue continues to divide Hungarian politics. The Hungarian far-right party Mi Hazánk openly opposes both Pride events and adoption rights for same-sex couples. The former ruling party Fidesz–KDNP stresses the protection of the traditional family model, while the governing Tisza Party emphasises respect for the right to peaceful assembly and the primacy of children’s welfare in adoption debates.

Police investigate video of Pride flag removal

According to reports cited by Népszava, the rainbow flags were installed on the bridge as part of Pride month events before the incident occurred a day later. A video circulating on the internet appears to show an individual removing one of the flags from the bridge and throwing it into the Danube. Police have launched an investigation against unknown perpetrators on suspicion of criminal damage, while the Budapest municipality has filed a complaint, stating that intentional vandalism is suspected.

City officials said the flags will be replaced within days, adding that they belong in the urban space during Pride month and the upcoming march in “a free, diverse and solidaristic Budapest”.

The controversy escalated further after Előd Novák, a representative of Mi Hazánk, wrote on social media that he would “pay the fine for removing the rainbow rubbish”, arguing that Budapest belongs to everyone and should not be “appropriated” by any political movement through the display of flags on the bridge.

Novák described the removal of the flags as a justified response to provocation, though he added that in his view they “belong in the bin”. He has faced similar controversies before, including earlier actions involving the removal of rainbow flags from public buildings. In one case concerning a district municipality in the 11th district, prosecutors filed charges against him for disorderly conduct and criminal damage.

The Sixty-Four Counties Youth Movement (HVIM) also issued a statement supporting the action, calling it a “patriotic act” and offering legal assistance and financial support for anyone facing proceedings.

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Diplomatic backing and parliamentary debate over Pride and adoption

Alongside the flag controversy, diplomatic support for Pride has also drawn attention. The joint statement by 44 embassies and cultural institutes expressed support for Budapest Pride and the LGBTQ+ community, emphasising freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. The upcoming march on 27 June has further sharpened political attention, with organisers continuing to call for the restoration or repeal of Hungary’s assembly-related restrictions.

Tisza Party leader Péter Magyar previously said Pride could take place under current conditions and that no one is seeking to prevent it, although he will not personally attend.

The issue also reached Parliament on Monday, where lawmakers debated LGBTQ+ rights and adoption policy. László Toroczkai of Mi Hazánk argued against allowing same-sex couples to adopt, saying children should be raised within a traditional family structure and that adoption should primarily serve heterosexual couples facing infertility.

Péter Magyar highlighted that hundreds, possibly more than a thousand children in Hungary are currently waiting for adoption, arguing that the issue should be approached primarily from the perspective of children’s welfare and stability.

From the governing KDNP party, Hajnalka Juhász said Pride and related social debates raise concerns about the traditional family model, and argued that decisions regarding children should not be shaped by political trends. However, no support for introducing adoption rights for same-sex couples was expressed by the governing parties during the debate.

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