Demonstration held in Budapest in solidarity with queer people, police does not intervene
The protest, which began at Erzsébet Square around 4 PM, saw participants marching along Andrássy Avenue to Heroes' Square. Demonstrators carried rainbow flags and LGBTQ+ symbols, with police securing the route and a video surveillance van accompanying the march, Telex reported. The event concluded by 6:30 PM without incident.
Demonstration held on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
The demonstration was organised by four civil rights organisations, including the Hungarian Helsinki Committee and Amnesty International Hungary, in observance of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. According to Dávid Víg, director of Amnesty International Hungary, the march serves a similar purpose to the Budapest Pride and may set a precedent for future public gatherings amid growing legal restrictions.
Earlier this year, Hungary’s parliament—dominated by the ruling Fidesz party—voted to amend laws governing public assembly. Under the new rules, demonstrations that are perceived to “promote homosexuality or gender change” can be banned. Organisers and participants risk fines of up to HUF 200,000 (approx. EUR 500). The government justifies these measures by claiming to protect children, a rationale now enshrined in the Hungarian Fundamental Law.
Basic rights restricted
However, legal experts have criticised this approach. Máté Szabó, legal director at the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (TASZ), said the restriction of basic rights—such as freedom of assembly and expression—must meet strict constitutional criteria: necessity, proportionality, and suitability to achieve the intended goal. According to Szabó, banning Pride or other LGBTQ+-related events fails to meet these criteria and cannot be justified solely by invoking children's rights, especially when no direct harm can be demonstrated.
Saturday’s protest thus carried symbolic and legal significance. In a climate where LGBTQ+ rights are increasingly under pressure, the march represented both a show of resistance and a test of the evolving legal boundaries of public assembly in Hungary.
Read more about the LGBTQ+ community in Hungary HERE. As for news on the tightening of the freedom of assembly in the country, click HERE.
Read also:
- Budapest protest led by MP Hadházy challenges controversial assembly law changes
- PHOTOS: Huge protest in Budapest, demonstrators tried to block Chain Bridge, police intervened
Featured image: illustration, Pride 2024.