In a powerful act of resistance, an estimated 200,000 people marched in Budapest Pride, defying a ban imposed by Hungary’s right-wing government and embarrassing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
The 30th anniversary parade drew unprecedented crowds, gathering near the city hall before crossing the Danube. Organisers said the turnout eclipsed the previous record of 35,000, with numbers so high they were difficult to estimate precisely.
“This was not just a celebration,” said Budapest Pride spokesperson Máté Hegedűs. “It was an act of defiance, of standing up for basic human rights in the face of political repression.”
Earlier this year, Orbán’s government criminalised events involving the “depiction or promotion” of homosexuality to children. While the Prime Minister warned marchers of possible “legal consequences,” he stopped short of deploying police to shut down the event.
Instead, the crackdown appeared to galvanise support. Dozens of European politicians joined the parade in solidarity, and the European Commission condemned the ban as a “violation of fundamental freedoms.”
Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar mocked the government’s failure to stop the march, calling it “a huge own goal.”
Government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs responded angrily, accusing the opposition of using Pride to “mock Hungary’s sovereignty” and push “woke culture” with “foreign backing.”
Budapest’s mayor Gergely Karacsony praised the marchers, sarcastically thanking Orbán for inadvertently promoting a more tolerant society. “The strength and greatness of Budapest lies in its diversity. The city will always defend those whose rights are under threat,” he said.
Under Orbán, who came to power in 2010, LGBTQIA+ rights in Hungary have been repeatedly rolled back. The country is now the first EU member to attempt to ban a Pride march. Orbán has publicly aligned himself with U.S. President Donald Trump’s anti-diversity rhetoric, which he credits for emboldening his policies.
