Protesters reach fourth week in Budapest against ban on Pride events
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Budapest for the fourth week against a law that bans LGBTQ Pride events. The new law, passed by Prime Minster Viktor Orbán, was fast-tracked through parliament in March. It would prohibit events depicting homosexuality to those under 18-years-old, similar to Russia’s anti-LGBTQ laws. It was passed as Orbán government is being accused of a backsliding ahead of national elections.
The protests have continued with demonstrators filling the Erzsébet Bridge over the Danube as protesters demanded the law be repealed. Some have planned to stay on the bridge overnight and there had been plans to shut down all five of the central Danube crossings. Violence has not been immediately reported during the protests.
The controversial law would make it an offense to hold or even attend events such as Pride. Legal experts and human rights groups say it is Orbán’s latest crackdown on the LGBTQ community in Hungary and call it an arbitrary restriction on the right to assembly.
The law would also allow authorities to use facial recognition to identify anyone attending such events, and issue fines for it. The ruling party has also pushed for a constitutional amendment that would set the ban into stone. Orbán also pledged legislation that would ban protesters from blocking traffic on bridges and busy roads.
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