He arrived in Budapest on Thursday night. The next day he intervened at an International Conference on Human Rights organized by Budapest Pride. And on Saturday, José María Núñez, a triangle foundation activist, lived one of the most intense experiences of his career: “The most wonderful thing that happened to me in life”. It refers to the moment in which hundreds of thousands of people crossed the Erzsébet bridge on the Danube river in a LGTBI pride march that the Viktor Orbán government had banned.
Núñez was one of the two Extremaduras that left the Hungarian country. The Pacense activist, a volunteer in several NGOs and partner of Amnesty International, took the floor at the opening of the pride day, which brought together activists from all over the world to discuss the situation of LGTBI rights.
Together with Spanish politicians
On Saturday he started with a meeting at the Spanish embassy. From there, politicians and activists prepared for a demonstration full of uncertainty. Among the public representatives of Spain, the Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, and the Minister of Culture Ernest Urtasun were present at the protest.
José María Núñez with Yolanda Díaz and Ernest Urtasun, in the LGTBI protest of Budapest, last Saturday. / LCB
The Viktor Orbán government had tried to prevent demonstration, although It was finally celebrated thanks to the mayor of BudapestGergely Christmas, Firmme Defens de la Celebrationn, declared it municipal act. Even so, the atmosphere was not entirely safe: “There were two ultra -right marches summoned simultaneouslythat were allowed. In my 53 years, 30 of activism, I had never gone to a prohibited demonstration, ”says Núñez.
The tension was real. As this pacense explains, the embassy had given clear instructions: not resisting any police intervention. “There you can ask for the ID and use facial recognition, which is legal in Hungary,” says Núñez. But this did not prevent citizens from coming out. “When you see that thousands and thousands of people begin to arrive, you understand that there is something that can no longer stop,” adds this activist.
José María Núñez back to a group of Hungarian police during the LGTBI march in Budapest. / LCB
The demonstration was growing exponentially from a small place near the town hall. “The organization was gradually getting into the street, with a van with music. The cars stopped and we were making space,” recalls José María Núñez.
Mass protest
With the advance of the route, the crowd also grew. According to the Triangle Foundation activist, the most exciting moment came when crossing the Erzsébet bridge over the Danube river, the only one that had not been reserved by the extreme right to block the passage. “That has been the most wonderful thing that has happened to me in life. He was apotheosic. Absolutely apotheosic”recounts. There they concentrated More than 200,000 people.
Once the protest ends, the sensation, as Núñez points out, is triumphant. “We started from fear and we ended up seeing that we had won. It was found that society does not want this prohibition. It was a message for everyone. Diversity is unstoppable. ”
