Overview

• Hungarian police cited a mid-March anti-LGBT+ law and a recent constitutional amendment prioritizing child protection when banning the June 28 Pride march
• Mayor Gergely Karacsony declared Budapest Pride an official municipal event that does not require police approval and vowed to hold it despite the prohibition
• Organizers may appeal the decision before the Supreme Court, but participants risk fines of up to €500 earmarked for child protection programs
• European Commissioner for Equality Hadja Lahbib and MEPs including Valérie Hayer and Terry Reintke plan to join the march to demonstrate EU support for Hungary’s LGBT+ community
• The standoff highlights wider European Union concerns over Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s recent anti-LGBT+ measures and fears of democratic erosion in Hungary