Budapest Pride Banned by Police as Hungary’s Crackdown on LGBTQ+ Rights Deepens

Hungarian police have officially banned this year’s Budapest Pride march, a move that has sparked outrage among human rights advocates and deepened concerns over the country’s escalating crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights.

The march, planned for June 28, was set to mark a major moment for Hungary’s LGBTQ+ community — but authorities say it won’t be happening. In a statement released Thursday, Budapest’s metropolitan police said the event would not be allowed under a new law passed in March that empowers police to block LGBTQ+ gatherings under the banner of “protecting children.”

That law was pushed through Hungary’s parliament by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s right-wing Fidesz party, which holds a strong majority and has increasingly leaned into Christian conservative values to appeal to rural voters.

Mayor Defies the Ban

But Budapest’s liberal mayor, Gergely Karácsony, isn’t backing down. On Monday, ahead of the police statement, he announced that the city would host the event as a municipal celebration — meaning it wouldn’t require formal approval from the authorities.

“The Metropolitan Municipality will host the Budapest Pride Freedom Celebration on June 28, the day of Hungarian freedom, as a municipal event. Period,” Karácsony wrote in a Facebook post. He added that the police ban is irrelevant because the event wasn’t submitted through official channels that would require their permission.

Organizers say tens of thousands are expected to attend what is now being framed as both a Pride celebration and a protest against the government’s anti-LGBTQ+ policies.

Orbán’s Longstanding Anti-LGBTQ Stance

Prime Minister Orbán has made his stance on LGBTQ+ issues increasingly clear in recent years. His government has rolled out a series of measures aimed at restricting LGBTQ+ visibility, from limiting same-sex adoption to banning content in schools deemed to “promote homosexuality.”

Back in February, Orbán made his position even more blunt, saying LGBTQ+ activists “shouldn’t even bother organizing Pride in Budapest this year.”

With national elections looming in 2026, and a rising opposition party threatening his political grip, Orbán appears to be doubling down on culture war issues to rally his base.

The Bigger Picture

Hungary’s Pride march has grown over the years to become one of the most visible LGBTQ+ events in Central Europe. Blocking it sends a powerful — and chilling — message, critics say.

“This isn’t just about a parade,” one activist noted. “It’s about freedom of expression, assembly, and human dignity — all of which are under attack.”

As June 28 approaches, all eyes will be on Budapest — not just to see whether the event goes forward, but to gauge how far Hungary’s government is willing to go in curbing civil liberties in the name of conservatism.