No arrests, no violence, no scandal – Hungarian police and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán did not provide EU parliamentarians who had traveled to Budapest especially for the gay and lesbian parade, which had actually been banned, with the TV images they wanted. An estimated 180,000 people took part, with the police filming the event and planning to press charges.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen herself ensured in advance that the “clash of cultures” would become a showdown between EU leaders and the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán: Yesterday afternoon, 180,000 LGBTQ fans marched through the streets of Budapest. By 7 p.m., the event was already over – everything went peacefully and calmly, with the Hungarian executive refusing to be provoked and deliberately adopting a defensive stance. The 70 EU parliamentarians who had traveled to Hungary especially for the event were simply ignored by the Orbán government.

The dispute at the highest level over the holding and banning of the Pride Parade in Budapest apparently resulted in record attendance: “We expect 180,000 to 200,000 people to participate,” Pride President Viktória Radványi told the AFP news agency on Saturday. An exact estimate is difficult, “because there have never been so many people at Budapest Pride.”

Several factions in the EU Parliament tried to use participation in the Pride Parade as a way to settle scores with Hungary’s prime minister, who is often criticized in Brussels. The European Greens were particularly well represented in Budapest on Saturday. “This day was a great success for freedom and love in Europe. And a disaster for Viktor Orbán,” commented Terry Reintke, co-leader of the Greens in the European Parliament, in a statement. “The citizens of the free city of Budapest have shown Orbán what they think of his Pride ban. The fact remains: it is not Pride that is illegal, but the ban.”

The “counter-demonstrations by violent right-wing extremists” repeatedly mentioned by EU parliamentarians in the run-up to the event did not take place. On the Buda side of the Elisabeth Bridge, a few silent men stood with a banner calling for the defense of Europe in English – that was all.

Large Pride Parade lasted only two and a half hours

After rally participants marched along the route for almost two and a half hours in tight crowds, the event finally came to an end around 7 p.m.

It is assumed that the police will report as many participants as possible of what they consider to be an illegal rally. Facial recognition software could also be used. Those reported face heavy fines, which can, however, be appealed in court.

Credit: APA