Thousands celebrate with pride in Budapest after anti-LGBT legislation

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Thousands of Hungarians took part in a pride parade on Saturday in protest of the government’s new anti-gay legislation, according to a report by Politico.

The Hungarian parliament in June passed legislation banning distribution or content in schools that officials believe “promotes” homosexuality or transgenderism. No content may be shown to students under the age of 18, including advertisements of this type. The law was backed by Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s party.

However, on Saturday, about 30,000 people, including members of the Hungarian parliament, marched through Budapest to celebrate the country’s LGBT community and defy new laws, which have been condemned by the European Commission.

“In the past two years, we have had government attacks against the LGBTQI community, a lot of hate speech and also the adoption of restrictive legislation when it comes to transgender rights, and the recent adoption of a Russian-style propaganda law,” said Tamas Dombos, board member of the Hatter Association, a Hungarian rights group, for Politico.

He added: “A lot of people came to show their support and to show that not everyone thinks like our government. It feels really nice that so many people attended.”

Several countries, including the United States, signed a joint statement in support of the Hungarian LGBT community, which the Canadian government participated in.

“On the occasion of the 26th Budapest Pride Festival, we, the undersigned embassies and cultural institutes, express our full support to the members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gay and bisexual (LGBTQI+) community and their rights to equality and non-discrimination,” reads the statement issued on July 19. discrimination, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and freedom from violence.”

Earlier this month, the European Commission took legal action against both Hungary and Poland over recently enacted policies targeting the LGBT community. The commission said at the time that it had initiated infringement proceedings in both countries.

Countries have two months to respond to the legal move.

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