It was the largest Parade of Equality in the Hungarian capital in 30 years, and this despite a police ban. According to organizers in Saturday (28.06.2025) demonstrations in Budapest in defence of gay rights, lesbians and another sexual minorities took part in a evidence number of 200,000 people. The media reported at least 100,000 participants.
Among them were respective twelve MEPs from another EU countries who came to Hungary to show their solidarity with the participants of the parade. In addition to the rainbow flags, many EU flags were besides seen above the heads of demonstrators.
However, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán treated the violation of the ban on organising the Parade of Equality as a consequence of political interference from outside, specifically from Brussels.
"At Brussels' command, the opposition one more time organized this year's Parade of Equality!" he wrote to the X spokesperson of the Hungarian government Zoltán Kovács on Saturday evening.
"With the aid of the Parade of Equality, the opposition provoked against laws that she disliked, mocked Hungary's sovereignty and, with abroad support, attempted to impose its culture on us," he said.
He accused political opponents of trying to "disassemble everything Hungary has built in the past 15 years, especially support for household and kid protection".
Restrictive policy of the Hungarian Government
Due to Hungary's restrictive policy towards sexual minorities, this year's Equality Parade has become peculiarly political. In mid-March, the Hungarian Parliament adopted amendments to the government aimed at banning the yearly parade.
All the assemblies that violate the Hungarian LGBTQ Act were banned. This law, passed in 2021, prohibits showing homosexuality in the presence of minors.
A fewer days ago, Hungarian police yet banned the organisation of an Equality Parade in Budapest. However, the mayor of the capital Gergely Karacsony felt that the parade did not require authoritative approval due to the fact that it was a "urban event".
On Friday evening, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen again called on the Hungarian authorities to lift the ban on demonstrations so that organisers do not gotta fear punishment. On Friday, Orbán made it clear that the police would not intervene against the participants, but they could face fines of up to EUR 500.
