"In early October, thousands flocked to the southern city of Pecs to take part in Pride. It was the fifth year that the march was held the only other annual Pride gathering in the country besides that of Budapest and was becoming a showcase of the city's commitment to freedom, diversity and the coexistence of minorities. This year, however, politics loomed large."
"In March the country's prime minister, Viktor Orban, and his rightwing populist party had voted to ban Pride events and allow the authorities to use facial recognition technology to identify and potentially fine those in attendance, a move Amnesty International described as a full-frontal attack on LGBTQ+ people. Even so, in June tens of thousands of people defied the ban to march in Budapest after Pride was rebranded as a municipal cultural event."
"Months later, Pecs Pride also attracted record numbers, with as many as 8,000 people, including several members of the European parliament, taking part despite the police and the country's highest court confirming that the event was banned. For the organiser Geza Buzas-Habel the nightmare began soon after. We decided to hold Pecs Pride, despite the ban, because Hungary must remain a European country, the Romani LGBTQ+ activist said."
A rights campaigner in Hungary has been placed under investigation and may face criminal charges after organising a banned Pride march. Thousands attended Pecs Pride in early October, the city's fifth annual event and a showcase of freedom, diversity and minority coexistence. The national government voted to ban Pride events and authorised facial recognition to identify and potentially fine attendees. Tens of thousands defied the ban in Budapest in June, and Pecs drew up to 8,000 participants, including members of the European parliament, despite police and a court confirming the ban. The organiser, Geza Buzas-Habel, leads the Diverse Youth Network and emphasises freedom of assembly and community visibility.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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