Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Monday sharply criticised the Budapest Pride parade, calling it a “disgrace,” despite the event drawing a record turnout of an estimated 200,000 people over the weekend.
The large demonstration served as a strong rebuke against the nationalist leader’s anti-LGBTQ policies.
Earlier this year, Orban’s governing coalition amended laws and the constitution to ban the annual celebration, citing “child protection” as justification for increased restrictions on LGBTQ rights.
In his first public reaction, Orban stated, “I am one of those who do not consider what happened to be a source of pride… I say it is a disgrace.”
Credit: France 24
Before the parade, Orban had vowed that police would not break up the march but warned participants of “legal consequences.”
Organisers now face potential prison sentences of up to a year, while attendees could face fines of up to 500 euros ($590).
The latest legal changes also empowered authorities to use facial-recognition technology to identify participants, with cameras temporarily installed along the parade route.
Police have confirmed to AFP that they are “probing the events that took place at Saturday’s gathering.”
Pride organisers, including the Budapest city hall, which co-hosted the event to ensure it could proceed, have disputed the legality of the police ban, which also drew international condemnation.
Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony, however, publicly thanked the police for providing security for the march.
