Despite legal threats, the mayor remains steadfast in support of LGBTQ rights, claiming love and freedom cannot be silenced.
**Budapest Mayor Faces Police Scrutiny Over Defiant Pride March Amid National Backlash**
**Budapest Mayor Faces Police Scrutiny Over Defiant Pride March Amid National Backlash**
Budapest's mayor Gergely Karacsony questioned as a suspect for allegedly organizing illegal LGBTQ event.
Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony is currently under police investigation following the June 28 LGBTQ pride march, which was declared illegal by the Hungarian government, led by nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Despite warnings and a newly instituted law prohibiting such events, an estimated 200,000 people attended the parade, which turned into a powerful anti-government demonstration.
Wearing a rainbow T-shirt that featured the city's coat of arms, Karacsony expressed his defiance upon arriving at the National Bureau of Investigation, stating emphatically, "Neither freedom nor love can be banned in Budapest." Should he be charged and found guilty, the mayor could face a year behind bars for allegedly facilitating the banned march.
In front of a gathering crowd of supporters and reporters, Karacsony dismissed the charges as groundless and vowed to challenge them. He further proclaimed, "If it cannot be banned, it cannot be punished." Accompanied by his legal counsel, the mayor refrained from commenting during the police inquiries, instead delivering a prepared statement.
The tradition of the pride march seemed uncertain this year after new legislation restricting LGBTQ-related gatherings came into effect in March, under the guise of "child protection." This law is part of a broader series of actions by Orban's administration aimed at suppressing the rights of the LGBTQ+ community in Hungary, including the 2020 revocation of legal recognition for transgender individuals and a 2021 ban on representing homosexuality to minors.
Despite the ban on the pride event, Karacsony vowed to push forward with it as a local event and challenged the police's authority to prohibit municipal activities. In a related turn of events, authorities announced that attendees of the pride parade would not face fines of up to €500 for participation. Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation has initiated an inquiry against an unnamed individual implicated in organizing the march, delving into serious and complex criminal matters related to the event.
The pride march has become a symbol of resistance against governmental repression, illustrating the unwavering spirit of LGBTQ advocates in Hungary amidst rising legal and social barriers.
