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Thousands of Hungarians held rainbow flags and danced in the streets on Saturday to celebrate the annual Budapest Pride parade and vowed to continue protesting against the government’s anti-LGBTQ+ policies.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has pursued a Christian conservative agenda since coming to power in 2010, and in 2021 banned “propaganda of homosexuality” among people under 18, despite strong criticism from human rights groups and the European Union.
“It’s very important to be here … to show that we exist and that we matter,” said Anna Reti, 30, who took part in the march in the capital, adding that many LGBTQ+ Hungarians face discrimination and hostility in their daily lives.
“For example, I was walking down the street the other day wearing some rainbow accessories and people were staring at me,” she said.
Hungary does not recognize same-sex marriage and only heterosexual couples can legally adopt children. Orban’s government redefined marriage in the constitution as a union between a man and a woman and restricted same-sex adoption.
His government says the 2021 law is designed to protect children and does not target the LGBTQ+ community, but it has caused anxiety among gay, bisexual and transgender Hungarians.
Last year, several booksellers were fined for selling books depicting homosexuality because the books were not wrapped in plastic as required by law.
In November, a museum director was fired after it allowed under-18s to view a World Press Photo exhibition featuring LGBTQ+ content.
Ahead of Saturday’s march, embassies from the United States, Germany and 33 other countries urged Hungary to protect LGBTQ+ rights and repeal laws that discriminate against members of the community.
U.S. Ambassador David Pressman was one of several diplomats attending the Pride event.
“This is an amazing country with a rich history of people rising up for their freedom. Those who are marching here today are living in the finest traditions of this country,” he told reporters.
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