Overview

• Budapest mayor Gergely Karácsony has declared the June 28 march a municipal celebration to sidestep the child protection law that outlaws Pride events
• Organizers expect tens of thousands of participants from over 30 countries alongside support from more than 30 embassies and senior EU figures such as Ursula von der Leyen and Hadja Lahbib
• Hungarian police have banned the parade under a March law and are authorized to impose fines, misdemeanour charges or up to one year in jail for attendees and organizers
• Facial recognition cameras will be deployed along the route to identify marchers, a measure human rights groups warn undermines privacy and freedom of assembly
• Three far-right groups have planned counter-protests on the same day, raising concerns about potential clashes and heightened tensions