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4d ago

Budapest Mayor Designated Suspect in Probe of Banned Pride March

He is due to be questioned next week under child protection laws that carry up to a year in prison with the next parliamentary election approaching

Mayor of Budapest Gergely Karacsony attends The Budapest Pride March in Budapest, Hungary, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Lisa Leutner/File Photo
The Budapest Pride parade drew a record turnout, with organisers estimating that over 200,000 people took part
Budapest's Mayor Gergely Karacsony speaks during a joint demonstration organised by opposition parties during the celebrations of the 65th anniversary of the Hungarian Uprising of 1956, in Budapest, Hungary, October 23, 2021. REUTERS/Marton Monus/File Photo
Karacsony risks up to a year in prison for organising a banned rally

Overview

  • Karacsony has been formally named a suspect in the police investigation into last month’s banned Pride march
  • The probe follows his reclassification of the march as a municipal celebration to bypass a law passed in March that bars public displays of LGBTQ+ identity under child protection grounds
  • Organizers estimate that more than 200,000 participants defied the ban on June 28, turning the event into one of Budapest’s largest anti-government demonstrations
  • Police have stated they will not target those who attended the march and are concentrating enforcement efforts on its organizers
  • Critics view the investigation as part of a broader campaign to curb LGBTQ+ rights and stifle opposition ahead of next year’s parliamentary election