Budapest’s annual Pride march has been banned by police due to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz government, but Mayor Gergely Karacsony is determined to make it happen.
In a defiant statement, the mayor said that Budapest city hall will organise the event as a local initiative on June 28th. The annual Pride march has been in doubt since Orban announced its cancellation and a law was passed restricting gatherings if they promote homosexuality publicly.
The law restricts gatherings where children are present, prompting police to claim it’s essential to prevent underage bystanders from witnessing the event. However, Mayor Karacsony disagrees, saying police have no right to ban a “Day of Freedom” that doesn’t break any laws.
Tens of thousands of people from Hungary and abroad are expected to attend, with some groups already facing fines for participating in previous events. Human rights groups, including the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, advise individuals to refuse on-the-spot fines and challenge any post Notifications in court if necessary.
The more people participate, the less likely police will try to ban the event, they argue. This could create a massive backlog for both the police and courts, but organizers are determined to make it happen.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2k1d7dlgzko