They tried to shut it down.
The people showed up.

Tens of thousands marched through the streets of Budapest for Pride 2025, defying a government ban and turning the event into a powerful act of protest.
This was the 30th Budapest Pride, and it became the largest in Hungary’s history.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government used a “child protection” law to ban LGBTQ public events earlier this year, including Pride.
The language and intent of the law mirror Russia’s anti-LGBTQ policies, using the pretext of protecting children to silence entire communities.
Participants risked being recorded by facial recognition systems. Organisers were warned of possible criminal charges.
Still, they came.

Budapest’s mayor, Gergely Karácsony, made the event official by declaring it a city celebration. That legal move turned a banned protest into a permitted march and a civic act of visibility.

The turnout was staggering. Over 70 members of the European Parliament joined. Activists, artists, and diplomats arrived from more than 40 countries.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen voiced her support:
“You have every reason to be proud. I am on your side today and every day.”

One marcher said, “We got something to say. You can’t make stupid rules and expect us to obey. At some point, you have to stand up.”
Another added, “Even people who weren’t planning to protest came. Because this was about more than politics. This was about our lives.”

The city was filled with signs that read I am not illegal and Love is more important than power.
People waved rainbow flags and EU flags, holding space for both identity and hope.

“We want to feel good in this country,” one person said. “And I believe many people here feel the same, even those who are afraid to speak.”

Despite far-right counter protests, the march remained peaceful. Police redirected routes to avoid conflict. But the message was already clear.

Budapest Pride 2025 was not just about LGBTQIA+ rights.
It was about resisting silence.
It was about refusing shame.
It was about reminding Hungary who it belongs to.

In the words of one protester, “There are queer people in every party, even Fidesz. And some of them can’t be here. But we are.”

This was more than a parade.
This was a public act of survival.
This was unity.
This was love over power.

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