More than 10,000 people took part in Saturday’s Pride march in the Hungarian capital Budapest, despite the record heat, Reuters reported. AP and AFP agencies estimated the number of participants at tens of thousands. It was the first such march of representatives and supporters of the LGBTQ+ community since the April election defeat of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, whose government banned him last year.
A crowd of mostly young people marched from the iconic Budapest Opera House into the city center and across the Elizabeth Bridge, waving rainbow and European Union flags. Temperatures at the time of the march reached at least 38 degrees Celsius in Budapest. The organizers distributed water bottles to the participants and the municipal water company opened water fountains along the route.
Orbán criticized Pride
Orbán last year called Budapest Pride a “disgusting event” after more than 200,000 people took part in the banned march. The march organized under the leadership of the opposition mayor Gergely Karácsony turned into one of the biggest protests against the then government.
The former cabinet introduced a number of measures against the LGBTQ+ community during its 16 years in power. One of them was the approval of an amendment to the assembly law and a change to the constitution, which banned assemblies promoting homosexuality.
Allowing Pride under new government
Although the new Hungarian government of Prime Minister Péter Magyar did not repeal the law from the Orbán era, the police allowed the Pride march this year and provided protection. When asked by the Hungarian media about a possible change in legislation, Magyar asked for patience, Reuters wrote.
Participants of Saturday’s march, contacted by the agencies, said that this year the atmosphere was more relaxed, which they attributed to the political change.
Participants felt the change
“There used to be a lot of tension here. But now I see that people are somehow happier, and there are more seniors,” said Luca Új, who was taking part in her third Pride, as quoted by the AP.
60-year-old Balázs Moczar-Boor expressed himself similarly. “The mood of the public has really changed,” he said, according to AFP, adding that he and his partner were considering leaving Hungary if Orbán remained in power.
However, others also pointed out that outside of Budapest, the rate of acceptance of LGBTQ+ people is still lower.
