Barrier tapes were left out this time: at the 28th Pride Budapest things were more revealing than usual in some respects. Also thanks to international solidarity.
Despite the scorching heat, thousands took part in the Budapest Pride march through the center of the Hungarian capital. The LGBTQI+ community marched through Budapest for the 28th time, accompanied by representatives of various opposition parties in individual trucks.
Politically far-right groups announced protest actions, but apparently tried in vain to disrupt the march. For the first time, the march again took place without barrier tapes in favor of free choice of seats.
One participant said, “I don’t think people want to accept that gays, lesbians and transgender people actually live in this country.”
The ruling Fidesz party has been trying to stigmatize the LGBTQI+ community through legislation for years. Moral support came indirectly from abroad through US Ambassador David Pressman, but not just him:
Without Poland and Serbia: “LGBTQI+ sympathizers club”
Euronews correspondent Rita Konya commented during the event: “On the occasion of Budapest Pride, around 40 embassies and cultural institutions issued a joint statement in support of the LGBTQI+ community in Hungary. political rhetoric that contribute to the stigmatization of LGBTQI+ contributes to the community than troubling.”
US Ambassador Pressman said: “I think (the joint statement) makes it very clear that this is not an issue between the West and the East, but a reality, a Hungarian reality and an issue with which governments around the world are worried and focused. about.”
The joint declaration of support for non-heterosexuals was not signed by the representatives of Poland and Serbia.
In addition to Western countries, it was signed by: Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine.
Solidarity with booksellers
Some actions and banners during the march were organized in favor of bookseller Lira, who had been fined because in the chain stores a
LGBTQI+ comic was offered for sale in violation of regulations. The reason given by the relevant authority was that the Hungarian version of Alice Oseman’s “Heartstopper” comic was sold without the prescribed protective film. The respective notification of fine amounts to the equivalent of 32,000 euros.
The violation falls under the Child Protection Act, which has been in effect for about two years. Consequently, relatively strict restrictions apply to books that address homosexuality, transsexuality, gender reassignment, or “sexuality for its own sake” in any way. These also cannot be on the shelves of the children’s and young adult’s book department. The sheet serves to prevent the respective book from being leafed through.
The EU Commission filed an action against these provisions of the Hungarian Child Protection Act late last year before the European Court of Justice.