Tens of thousands in Hungary defy ban to march at Budapest Pride

Tens of thousands of people have marched for LGBTQ rights in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, defying a government ban and police orders, in one of the biggest shows of opposition to Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Organisers on Saturday estimated that up to 200,000 people took part in the 30th annual Budapest Pride, which was outlawed in March by Orban’s right-wing populist governing party.

The rally began at Budapest City Hall and wound through the city centre before crossing the capital’s Erzsebet Bridge over the Danube River. The crowds waved rainbow flags and carried signs mocking Orban.

“Freedom and love can’t be banned,” read one poster put up near the City Hall.

“None of us are free until everyone is free,” read another sign.

Amnesty Hungary said on X that the event was “easily the biggest” Pride march in Hungary’s history, and also “perhaps the biggest demonstration ever”.

After more than 3 hours we are still marching for equality and freedom at @budapestpride . This is easily the biggest Pride and perhaps biggest demonstration ever. #LetPrideMarch pic.twitter.com/MwkjcZuTuX

— Amnesty Hungary (@AmnestyHungary) June 28, 2025

Zoltan, a 66-year-old protester, told the AFP news agency that he was proud to be gay and “very scared that the government wants to bring us down”. The protester, who only gave his first name, added:  “I am very surprised that there are so many people, I want to cry.”

One marcher, Blanka Molnar, said it was “a fantastic feeling” that more people had attended the Pride march than ever before, despite it being outlawed. She said it was “increasingly important” for Hungarians, “even those who have never been to Pride before”, to push back against the government’s policies.

“This isn’t just about LGBQT+ rights, it’s also about the right to assemble and about standing up for each other and not allowing [the government] to oppress us,” she told the Associated Press news agency.

Some people also gathered along the route to protest LGBTQ rights, in demonstrations called by far-right groups, one of which featured a wooden cross adorned with protest messages.

The event on Saturday came after Orban’s Fidesz party earlier this year amended laws and the constitution to ban the annual celebration. Orban’s government has consistently argued that the legislation defends traditional family values and protects children.

While the prime minister has been emboldened by the anti-diversity offensive of President Donald Trump in the United States, his own initiatives have drawn protests at home and condemnation from the European Union and rights groups.

The nationalist leader on Friday said that while police would not “break up” the 30th edition of the Pride march, those who took part should be aware of “legal consequences”.

Parade organisers risk up to a year in prison, and attendees can face fines of up to 500 euros ($580).

Authorities also installed additional cameras throughout the city centre before the march, and were expected to use facial recognition tools to identify people who attend the banned event.

However, Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony insisted that no attendee can face any reprisals as the march – co-organised by the City Hall this time – is a municipal event and does not require police approval.

Karacsony later noted the big turnout in a social media post and thanked Orban “for advertising for a more tolerant society”.

Opposition leader Peter Magyar also said on Facebook that the government “scored not a goal, but a huge own goal with their attempt to ban today’s event”.

Earlier this week, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen called on the Hungarian authorities to reverse the ban.

Thirty-three countries have also spoken up in support of the march.

Justice Minister Bence Tuzson this week sent a letter to EU embassies cautioning diplomats and staff against participating because of the police ban, and several EU countries have informed their citizens of the potential of fines through travel advisories.

Since Orban’s return to power in 2010, the country of 9.6 million people has been steadily rolling back LGBTQ rights.

Legal changes have, in effect, barred same-sex couples from adopting children, prevented transgender people from changing their name or gender in official documents, and a 2021 law forbade the “display and promotion” of homosexuality to under-18s.

In March, politicians passed a bill targeting the annual Pride march, amending the 2021 law to prohibit any gathering violating its provisions. A month later, parliament also adopted a constitutional change to strengthen the legal foundations for the ban.

Police rejected several requests by organisers in recent weeks to register the Pride march, citing the recent law. And after the mayor joined with organisers, the government remained firm, insisting that holding the Pride march, even if it’s sponsored by the city, would be unlawful.

“Orban is employing a tried-and-tested recipe ahead of next year’s election by generating a conflict,” political analyst Daniel Mikecz told the AFP. Orban was “polarising society”, he added.

Voter opinion polls suggest that Orban’s Fidesz party has been losing ground to the opposition.

Many marchers on Saturday expressed their belief that the Pride march represented a struggle not just for the protection of the rights of sexual minorities, but for the democratic future of their country.

Participant Zsofia Szeker said the number of attendees showed that a major part of society desired a new direction for Hungary.

“I think we can only achieve change if so many people take to the streets,” she said.