A new anti-LGBTQ law banning Pride events and allowing authorities to use facial recognition software to identify those attending the festivities was passed by the far-right government in Hungary on Tuesday. The move led to a large demonstration on the streets of Budapest.
Several thousand protesters gathered after the vote outside Hungary’s parliament. They later staged a blockade of the Margaret Bridge over the Danube, blocking traffic and disregarding police instructions to disperse.
The law makes it an offense to hold or attend events that violate Hungary’s contentious “child protection” legislation, which prohibits the “depiction or promotion” of homosexuality to minors under 18.
Attending a prohibited event will carry fines up to 200,000 Hungarian forints (around $550 USD). Authorities will be allowed to use facial recognition tools to identify individuals attending a prohibited event.
The move by Hungarian lawmakers is part of a crackdown on the country’s LGBTQ community by the right-wing Viktor Orban government, which is aligned with the Trump administration in the U.S.
The law, supported by Orban’s Fidesz party and their minority coalition partner the Christian Democrats, was pushed through parliament in an accelerated procedure after being submitted on Monday. Opposing legislators led a vivid protest in the legislature involving rainbow-colored smoke bombs.
At the demonstration outside parliament, Evgeny Belyakov, a Russian citizen who emigrated to Hungary after facing repression in Russia, said the legislation struck at the heart of people’s rights to peacefully assemble.
“It’s quite terrifying to be honest, because we had the same in Russia. It was building up step by step, and I feel like this is what is going on here.
“I just only hope that there will be more resistance like this in Hungary, because in Russia we didn’t resist in time and now it’s too late.”
Following the law’s passage, Budapest Pride spokesperson Jojo Majercsik said despite Orban’s efforts to stigmatize LGBTQ people “many, many people have been mobilized” to resist the new law.
AP
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