Hundreds of thousands of people participated in Budapest's Pride festival on Saturday, defying a legal ban imposed by far-right prime minister Viktor Orban and his political allies. Attendance was estimated at about 200,000, six times last year's 35,000.
Many banners mocked the Hungarian prime minister. It was like a peaceful revenge by some of those he has declared war on during his past 15 years in power. "In my history class, I learnt enough, to recognise a dictatorship. You don't need to illustrate it – Vik!" read one hand-made banner. "I'm so bored of Fascism," read another.
Among the attendees was Budapest mayor Gergely Karacsony: "We don't exactly look as though we were banned!" he told the crowd. "In fact, we look like we're peacefully and freely performing a big, fat show to a puffed-up and hateful power. The message is clear: they have no power over us!"
Police watched at "a discreet distance," the BBC reports, making no attempt to carry out Orban's threats of legal consequences. From video and photos of the event, it would have been interesting to see them try:
Also in attendance were members of the European Parliament. The ban on Pride events was passed in April.
The amendment declares that children's rights to moral, physical and spiritual development supersede any right other than the right to life, including that to peacefully assemble. Hungary's contentious "child protection" legislation prohibits the "depiction or promotion" of homosexuality to minors aged under 18.
Compare with the similar language embroidering the U.S. Supreme Court's approval of Texas's ban on accessing "adult" websites without age verification, typically identified as a ban on porn but written more broadly.
Previously: Hungary: Conservative anti-gay politician busted while trying to escape all-male orgy with backpack of drugs
