Protesters in Hungary caused a stir by setting off flares inside the Parliament on Tuesday, following the government's recent actions against the LGBTQ community. A new law, enacted by the right-wing administration, has prohibited the Budapest Pride event and empowered police to impose hefty fines on attendees identified through facial recognition technology.
The legislation, driven by Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party and its coalition partner, the Christian Democrats, modifies Hungarian law to criminalize events that contradict "child protection" statutes. These laws ban the "promotion or depiction" of homosexuality to minors. In response, opposition members from the Momentum party released colorful smoke bombs, filling the parliamentary chamber with vibrant hues.
The amendment not only bans Pride events but also imposes fines of approximately £420 (€500) on participants. It allows authorities to use facial recognition to identify and penalize those attending these gatherings. The cancellation of the annual Budapest march, originally set for June 28, is part of a broader crackdown on the LGBTQ community by the Prime Minister, sparking strong criticism from Pride organizers who accuse him of targeting a minority group.
"This isn't about protecting children; it's fascism," the organizers declared. "The government is attempting to silence peaceful protests by targeting minorities. We will continue to fight for the right of all Hungarians to demonstrate!"
The contentious "child protection" law also bans the discussion of LGBTQ topics in school curriculums and prohibits portraying "gender different from sex at birth." The European Commission challenged the law in 2022, claiming it discriminates based on sexual orientation and gender identity. However, Orban's government maintains that it upholds traditional Christian family values, aiming to shield children from "gender ideology" and "sexual propaganda."