On Mar. 18, the Hungarian parliament passed a law by a vote of 136 to 27 banning pride events, as well as approval of the use of facial recognition software by authorities on attendees for identification purposes. This marks the latest strike against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a fierce objector of queer rights.
In an opposing demonstration, the members of the centrist Momentum Movement ignited rainbow-coloured smoke bombs in the Hungarian parliament and spread altered images of Orbán kissing his ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin.
This new ban led thousands of protestors to the streets outside parliament to defend their rights. Hadja Lahbib, the European Union’s (EU) commissioner for equality, preparedness, and crisis management, condemned the ban in an X post, emphasizing that the freedom to gather harmoniously is a core right that must be protected across the EU.
Dávid Vig, director of Amnesty International Hungary, highlighted the regressive nature of this new legislation.
“On the eve of the 30th anniversary of Budapest Pride in June, this harmful ban turns the clock back three decades, further undermining the hard-won rights of LGBTI people in Hungary.”
