In a defiant display of unity, tens of thousands gathered in Budapest, Hungary, to march against government mandates, boldly pushing back against an unjust ban on their city’s Pride parade.
At a Glance
● Tens of thousands of people marched in the Budapest Pride parade on Saturday, defying a government ban on the event.
● Organizers estimated a record crowd of up to 200,000, turning the march into a major anti-government demonstration.
● Budapest’s opposition mayor used a legal maneuver to allow the event to proceed after it was banned by national police.
● The march has become a symbol of resistance to the increasingly authoritarian policies of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government.
A March in Defiance of a Government Ban
Tens of thousands of Hungarians poured into the streets of Budapest on Saturday, June 28, 2025, for the city’s annual Pride march, turning the event into a massive anti-government protes after authorities tried to ban it. Organizers estimated a record-breaking crowd of up to 200,000 people, who marched in open defiance of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s increasingly restrictive social policies.
The national police, controlled by Orban’s government, had officially banned the parade, citing public order concerns related to the country’s controversial “child protection” law, which conflates homosexuality with pedophilia.
A Mayor’s Clever Maneuver
The march was able to proceed thanks to a clever legal move by Budapest’s opposition mayor, Gergely Karácsony. After the national police issued their ban, Karácsony used his municipal authority to declare the entire parade route a “municipal event zone.” As reported by the Associated Press, this move effectively removed jurisdiction from the national police and allowed the event to go forward under the protection of the city.
More Than a Pride March
The attempt to ban the parade galvanized a broad coalition of opposition, turning the event into one of the largest anti-government demonstrations in recent memory. Participants waved rainbow flags alongside Hungarian national flags and anti-government banners, with chants demanding democratic freedoms.
“This isn’t just about LGBTQ+ rights; it’s also about the right to assemble and about standing up for each other and not allowing [the government] to oppress us,” one participant, Blanka Molnár, told Deutsche Welle. Another marcher, Eszter Rein Bodi, added, “This is about much more, not just about homosexuality… This is the last moment to stand up for our rights.”
The event drew strong international support, with over 30 embassies, including that of the United States, issuing statements backing the march. The standoff highlights the widening rift between Orban’s nationalist government and the core democratic values of the European Union.