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| Europe | |
| Hungary passes law to ban Budapest Pride, sparking outrage | |
| 2025-03-19 | |
| [GEO.TV] Hungary has passed a new law banning the annual Budapest Pride march, a move that has sparked widespread outrage and protests, with critics accusing Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government of escalating its crackdown on LGBTQ rights under the guise of "child protection". Orban's government has repeatedly criticised LGBTQ people and has gradually been rolling back their rights in the name of "child protection" in recent years. "We won't let woke ideology endanger our kids," the nationalist leader wrote on X. Thousands of people chanting "We are not afraid!" rallied in central Budapest on Tuesday night to protest against the vote, which marks the latest setback to LGBTQ rights around the world. Protesters also blocked access to a bridge in the capital. Engineer Laszlo Donat, 40, told AFP that he joined the rally because "we've had enough in Hungary", adding that it was time to "restore democracy" by "replacing this... corrupt, gangster, mafia system". The legislation—drafted by Orban's governing Fidesz-KDNP coalition—aims to ban the Pride march on the basis that it infringes on Hungary's much-criticised "child protection" law, making it possible to fine those who attend the event. SMOKE FLARES, SOVIET ANTHEM The adopted bill stipulates that it is "forbidden to hold an assembly in violation of" a 2021 law that bans the "promotion and display" of homosexuality to minors.
Organisers or participants of a banned event could risk fines of up to 500 euros ( 430), with police being allowed to use facial recognition tools to identify potential offenders. After being submitted on Monday morning and fast-tracked under an exceptional procedure, the legislation passed the 199-seat National Assembly with 136 votes in favour, 27 against, and others abstaining from the vote. Deputies of the right-wing Jobbik and the far-right Our Homeland party also supported the measure. Opposition politicians from the liberal Momentum disrupted the vote by shouting, lighting flares and playing the old Soviet Union anthem. In his annual state of the nation address in February, Orban warned Pride organisers against preparing for this year's event, saying it would be "a waste of money and time". Last month, the government said the Pride march would no longer "be tolerated" in the "same public form" as previously. Related: Hungary: 2025-03-17 Critics says violent anti-Israel protests led U of Amsterdam to cut ties with Hebrew U Hungary: 2025-03-17 Hungry promotes having children in a great way. Hungary: 2025-03-10 Open Borders EU Saw over a Million Asylum Seeker Applications in 2024 Related: Pride march 10/23/2023 Bill de Blasio DELIBERATELY did not deploy enough NYPD cops during the BLM protests in 2020 amid fears any clashes would embarrass him, Andrew Cuomo's ex-top aide claims Pride march 09/10/2023 Employees Upset After Emory Healthcare Nixes Christmas Eve As Paid Holiday, Replaces it with Juneteenth Pride march 07/05/2023 Bill de Blasio and wife Chirlane McCray are separating to date other people ‐ without moving out or divorcing | |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 Hawaiian Judge interdicts... |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2025-03-19 19:47 |
| #2 Pride is one of the seven deadly sins |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2025-03-19 06:48 |
| #1 ...and others abstaining from the vote. THOSE are the ones that every nation should remove first. They weren't elected to "abstain"--they were elected to *represent*. |
| Posted by: Crusader 2025-03-19 00:18 |