With rainbow flags flying excessive, tens of 1000’s of LGBTQ Hungarians and their supporters took to the streets of Budapest for a Satisfaction parade, defying a authorities ban and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s authorized threats in opposition to activists.
Organizers for the thirtieth version of the Satisfaction march within the Hungarian capital mentioned greater than 100,000 folks marched from Budapest Metropolis corridor and wound by means of the town heart earlier than crossing the capital’s Erzsébet Bridge over the Danube River.
Lisa Leutner / REUTERS
“That is about rather more, not nearly homosexuality, …. That is the final second to face up for our rights,” Eszter Rein Bodi, one of many marchers, advised Reuters.
“None of us are free till everyone seems to be free,” one signal learn.
Police diverted the gang from its deliberate route to maintain it separated from a small group of far-right counter-protesters.
Orbán’s populist occasion in March fast-tracked a regulation by means of parliament that made it an offense to carry or attend occasions that “depict or promote” homosexuality to minors aged beneath 18. Orbán earlier made clear that Budapest Satisfaction was the express goal of the regulation.
ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP through Getty Photographs 
Hungary’s current regulation permits authorities to make use of facial recognition instruments to establish people who attend a prohibited occasion. Being caught might end in fines of as much as 200,000 Hungarian forints ($586). Organizers resist one yr in jail.
However on Friday, Satisfaction organizers, together with Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony, European Commissioner Hadja Lahbib and Vice President of the European Parliament Nicolae Stefanuta, mentioned the march will happen Saturday regardless of official threats of heavy fines for contributors and even jail time for the liberal mayor.
“The federal government is at all times combating in opposition to an enemy in opposition to which they’ve to guard Hungarian folks … This time, it’s sexual minorities which are the goal,” Karácsony advised a information convention. “We consider there must be no first and second class residents, so we determined to face by this occasion.”
Contributors on Saturday remained defiant.
“I’m proud to be homosexual… and I’m very scared that the federal government needs to carry us down. I’m very shocked that there are such a lot of folks, I wish to cry,” a 66-year-old participant, who gave solely his first title, Zoltan, advised AFP.
PETER KOHALMI/AFP through Getty Photographs 
One lady advised CBS Information accomplice BBC she was attending as a result of she needs a rustic of “range” for her youngsters.
“We’ve a regulation that bans people who find themselves totally different from others to collect. Because of this we’re right here. As a result of it is hurting our rights. That is why we got here,” Luca, 34, mentioned.
She advised the BBC she is anxious about her 4-year-old daughter’s future dwelling “in a rustic the place she will be able to’t love anybody she needs to.”
Critics of the Satisfaction ban and different Hungarian laws focusing on LGBTQ+ communities say the insurance policies are paying homage to related restrictions in opposition to sexual minorities in Russia.
Orbán, seen as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest ally within the European Union, has in recent times prohibited same-sex adoption and banned any LGBTQ+ content material, together with in tv, movies, commercials and literature that’s obtainable to minors.
His authorities argues that publicity to such content material negatively impacts youngsters’s growth. However opponents say the strikes are a part of a broader effort to scapegoat sexual minorities and consolidate his conservative base.
Lisa Leutner / REUTERS 
Chatting with state radio on Friday, Orbán downplayed the potential of violent clashes between police and contributors, however warned that attending Satisfaction “may have authorized penalties.”
“In fact, the police might break up such occasions, as a result of they’ve the authority to take action, however Hungary is a civilized nation, a civic society. We do not damage one another,” he mentioned.
Greater than 70 members of the European Parliament, in addition to different officers from nations round Europe, are anticipated to take part in Saturday’s march.
Lahbib, the European Commissioner, mentioned Friday that “all eyes are on Budapest” as Satisfaction marchers defy the federal government’s ban.
“The EU isn’t impartial on hate,” she mentioned. “We can’t keep passive. We can’t tolerate what’s insupportable.”
Counter demonstrations
On Thursday, radical right-wing occasion Our Homeland Motion introduced it had requested police approval to carry assemblies at quite a few areas throughout the town, lots of them on the identical route because the Satisfaction march.
A neo-Nazi group mentioned it too would collect Saturday at Budapest Metropolis Corridor, from which the Satisfaction march is ready to depart. The group declared that solely “white, Christian, heterosexual women and men” have been welcome to attend its demonstration.
Balint Szentgallay/NurPhoto through Getty Photographs 
A lady, who solely gave her first title as Katalin, advised AFP on Saturday she agreed with the ban although she hoped there can be no clashes.
“Disgusting… it is change into a fad to indicate off ourselves,” she mentioned.
