Powerful show of defiance: Thousands gather in the streets of Budapest for pride march

People gathered in large numbers in Budapest, Hungary, on Saturday, June 28, 2025, for the Pride march despite warnings of legal consequences to mark the 30th anniversary of Hungary’s Pride Parade. The Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, warned LGBTQ+ rights activists of legal threats, using facial recognition software to identify them and potentially fine them up to €500.

People gathered enthusiastically, carrying rainbow coloured flags and banners of resistance in the presence of heavy police. Activists and supporters from across Europe arrived in solidarity.

Notably, earlier in the year, Viktor Orban's Fidesz party created legislation to ban the Pride march in Hungary. The government branded the march as a threat to the country's values. This enraged the supporters who considered this not just a parade for visibility but one for the resistance, and claimed equal rights to the government that wants to deny their existence.

Earlier this week, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen called on Hungary to reverse the ban. “We’re not just standing up for ourselves … If this law isn’t overturned, Eastern Europe could face a wave of similar measures,” said Pride organiser Viktoria Radvanyi.

“This is bigger than one Pride celebration, one Pride march. It is about the right to be who you are, to love who you want, whether it is in Budapest, in Brussels or anywhere else,” said Hadja Lahbib, the European commissioner for equality.

Protestors wore face masks to bypass the surveillance and to push back against Hungary’s recent ban on public face masks. Budapest Pride, which began in 1995 as a small gathering, has turned into the largest LGBTQ+ celebration in Central Europe. This year's parade became significant not only because it's the 30th anniversary, but it is because of the democratic backsliding of the ruling Fidesz party, which is trying to consolidate its majoritarian values. Protestors call it “a testament to the resilience of civil society in the face of authoritarianism.”

Hungary had been facing a rising authoritarianism, with the ruling party pushing legislation to restrict LGBTQ+ rights, banning same-sex adoption, limiting trans recognition, and reducing content related to gender fluidity from media and education. The ruling party portrays it as a protectionist approach towards its national values, but critics call it a pattern of scapegoating minorities to gain political mileage.