Budapest Mayor Under Police Investigation for Banned LGBTQ+ Pride March

The mayor publicly defends freedom and love amidst legal threats from the government, as over 200,000 people participated in the march.

 

Budapest's Mayor Gergely Karacsony has been questioned by police as a suspect in connection with the organization of a banned LGBTQ+ pride march that took place on June 28. This event occurred despite stern warnings from Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose administration enacted a law earlier this year prohibiting the gathering.

Organizers of the march reported that a record crowd of 200,000 people participated, turning the event into a significant anti-government protest. Donning a rainbow t-shirt emblazoned with the capital's coat of arms, Karacsony arrived at the National Bureau of Investigation on Friday and expressed his sentiments to supporters, stating, "Neither freedom nor love can be banned in Budapest."

If found guilty of the accusations, Karacsony may face up to a year in prison for allegedly orchestrating and inciting participation in the banned event. In response to the accusations during the questioning, he voiced that he deemed them unfounded and announced plans to file a complaint. “If it cannot be banned, it cannot be punished,” he declared to a gathering of around 200 supporters and journalists outside the investigation office, where he spent over an hour.

The pride march had been uncertain following the government’s March legislation that limits gatherings under the guise of child protection laws concerning the public promotion of homosexuality. This legislation is part of a series of measures taken by Orban’s administration aimed at marginalizing Hungary’s LGBTQ+ community. Notably, Hungary rescinded its legal recognition of transgender individuals in 2020 and subsequently passed laws in 2021 that barred the representation of homosexuality to minors.

In defiance of the ban, Mayor Karacsony committed to organizing the Budapest Pride march as a local event on June 28, asserting that municipal events could not be legally disrupted by police. Last month, it was announced that police would not pursue fines against participants who could have faced penalties of up to €500 (approximately $586) for attending the pride celebrations.

However, Hungary's National Bureau of Investigation, which is responsible for investigating intricate and serious crimes, initiated an inquiry directed at an "unknown perpetrator" allegedly involved in organizing the rally.