Hungary Bans Budapest Pride March in Escalation of Anti-LGBT+ Policies

The Orbán government enacts new restrictions on freedom of assembly, drawing EU criticism and protests in Budapest.

The Hungarian Parliament passed a law banning the Budapest Pride March, citing a 2021 law prohibiting the promotion of homosexuality and gender change to minors.
The legislation modifies Hungary's freedom of assembly laws, allowing only events deemed to respect children's 'physical, mental, and moral development.'
Participants in the Pride March face fines of up to 500 euros, with authorities permitted to use facial recognition technology to identify violators.
The law is part of Viktor Orbán's broader campaign to restrict LGBT+ rights, which includes past measures banning legal gender changes and limiting LGBT+ content for minors.
The European Union has condemned the legislation as a violation of fundamental rights, intensifying tensions with Hungary over democratic and human rights concerns.