In Budapest, despite the ban of the Hungarian government, the largest LGBTK parade in the history of the country was held

200 thousand people went to the march - and turned it into a mass protest against Orban's policy

At least 200 thousand people, according to the organizers, on June 28 took part in the annual march of the pride of LGBTK+ in the center of Budapest, despite the ban of the government and the Hungarian police. AFP notes that this is a record for the Hungarian capital - in the past years, even before the ban, a maximum of 35 thousand people participated in the action.

The world and Hungarian media on the day of the march were estimated ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ) the number of participants in the event is more modest - about 100 thousand people. At the same time, they agree that the action grew out of the pride to the mass anti-government demonstration and one of the largest speeches against the policy of Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Hungary authorities forbade the march in Budapest for the first time in 30 years of the existence of the action. The police several times refused to coordinate the procession, citing the current legislation, which allows to limit the LGBTK events. At the beginning of the year in Hungary, amendments to the Constitution and the Act of Meetings were adopted, which actually prohibit the LGBTK community to hold public events under the pretext of protecting children from gay propaganda. In particular, one of the amendments states that the rights of children to moral, physical and spiritual development are above any rights (except for the right to life), including the right to peaceful meetings.

However, the liberal mayor of Budapest Gergei Karachon (his party “Dialogue - Party of Green” - part of the parliamentary opposition) promised that the march would take place anyway. The mayor announced the parade to the local government, for which, according to him, the police do not need.

Viktor Orban and his associates threatened the organizers of the march with deprivation of liberty for up to one year, and participants - a fine of up to 500 euros. After the parade route was published, cameras were installed along the entire path, as stated, with the possibility of using persons recognition technology.

At the same time, Orban on the eve of the procession stated that they would not be harshly dispersed: “Of course, the police can disperse such events, since it has authority, but Hungary is a civilized country, civil society. We do not harm each other. Legal consequences will be, but they should not reach the level of physical violence. ” As notes The Washington Post, it was unclear to the last whether the parade would be held or not.

As a result, the participants went march in the city center. Many of them carried rainbow flags, umbrellas and other items, as well as posters criticizing Orban and the flags of Hungary. AFP reports that there was a festive atmosphere on the march. The Washington Post correspondent, who visited the rally, notes that some of the participants came in bright outfits, but the vast majority of the participants were in the usual clothing for summer Budapest - in T -shirts and shorts. A punishment in a black T -shirt with the inscription "Budapest" in the colors of the rainbow also appeared on the parade.

Not only the inhabitants of Hungary participated in the march, but also foreign politicians and activists from more than 30 countries. The local publication Index writes that Irish actor Liam Cunningham, the best known for the role of Davos Sivort in the series “Game of Thrones”, took part in the march. A picture from the parade is published on the actor’s Instagram. The European Commissioner for equality of Haja Labib and 70 deputies of the European Parliament came to support the action.

The police, as Orban said, did not disperse the march and detain its participants. Police officers redirected the demonstrators to the Erzhebet bridge , separating them from a small group of ultra-right, which the authorities allowed to hold Freedom on the bridge , on the official route of the Pride, a promotion against the LGBTK parade. The clashes, which the participants of the march were afraid , did not occur.

Immediately after the march, the Prime Minister of Hungary, as the local publications reported, commented on the events of the Sabbath in the closed online community of his supporters. According to him, the procession in Budapest conducted “Marion Politicians” on the “orders of Brussels”. “This [the march of the pride of LGBTK+] proof of what our life would be if the country did not lead the government that protects our sovereignty ... Thanks to yesterday, we know with even more confidence that these people cannot be allowed anywhere,” Orban said. He did not comment on the parade publicly.

The police, in turn, said that the investigation began in connection with the Saturday march. It is still unclear whether some punishment threatens the organizers and participants of the action. The organizers of the march promised to help everyone whom the authorities will decide to pursue for participation in the parade.

The scale of the parade, on the inadmissibility of which Orban and his supporters insisted for several months, hit the Prime Minister, who, according to public opinion polls, loses the support of the inhabitants of Hungary, writes Associated Press.

“This is a huge victory for Karachon and opposition voters who turned the march into a massive anti -government protest against all threats [by Orban's policy]. And this is a defeat for Orban, who promised his voters that there would be no pride, ”Peter Kreko, director of the Political Capital analytical center based in Budapest, quotes The Washington Post.