Hungary police, mayor work to ban Pride march in Budapest

Hungarian police on Thursday banned the country's main Pride march from taking place in Budapest on June 28 but the capital's mayor vowed to hold it despite the interdiction.
Since Prime Minister Viktor Orban returned to power in 2010, Hungary has passed a series of laws which have been criticised at home and across the European Union for curtailing the rights of the country's sexual and gender minorities in the name of "child protection".
"The police, acting within their authority over public assemblies, prohibit the holding of the assembly at the aforementioned location and time," the police said on their website.
Police said the ban was necessary because the march would conflict with recently passed legislation.
They said any appeal against the decision must be lodged with the central European country's supreme court within three days.
Within moments, Budapest's liberal Mayor Gergely Karacsony vowed to hold the gathering despite the interdiction.
"Given that the city council did not make its announcement within the ambit of the law on gatherings, this ban has no value," Karacsony wrote on Facebook.
"Budapest city hall will organise the Budapest Pride march on June 28 as a city event. Period," he wrote.
The police decision came three days after Karacsony announced that Budapest would organise the march in an attempt to sidestep a recently adopted law.
In mid-March, the Hungarian parliament passed a bill aimed at banning any gathering that violates an anti-LGBTQ law adopted in 2021.
The 2021 law prohibits the "display or promotion of homosexuality" to under-18s.
In its decision published on Thursday, police said that the march "by its very nature cannot be held without the representation" of people belonging to the LGBTQ community and that under-18s could be present along the route.
"If it cannot be stated with absolute certainty that the display is not taking place in the presence of persons under 18 years of age, the assembly would be in breach of the prohibition of the government," the police said.
Hungarian lawmakers in April overwhelmingly backed constitutional changes that strengthened the legal foundations for banning the Pride march.
The government said the annual event could be held at an enclosed location like a stadium, out of sight of children.
The conflict over the Pride march has already sparked protests in Hungary.
Thousands of people blocked bridges in the capital, demanding the Pride ban law be repealed. Several EU lawmakers have said they will attend the parade.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

India Today

31 minutes ago

• India Today

Boeing ghost flights: China-Iran air route raises eyebrows in Israel conflict

Multiple Boeing 747s were tracked flying from China to Iran, disappearing near Iranian airspace, prompting speculation that Beijing may be covertly supporting Tehran during escalating tensions with Israel.A string of mysterious Boeing 747 flights departing China for Iran has raised suspicions that Beijing may be covertly aiding Tehran as Israeli airstrikes intensify against Iran's nuclear infrastructure, according to a Fox News Digital Boeing 747s have been spotted on radar leaving China for Iran over the last week," Fox News reported, citing flight-tracking data and European intelligence assessments. Starting June 14, at least five cargo flights took off from various points in China and travelled a discreet route westward along China's northern air corridor. They then descend through Central Asia -- Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan -- before vanishing from radar near Iranian airspace, according to FlightRadar24 and The Telegraph. Intriguingly, the listed destination for the flights was Luxembourg. But the aircraft never entered European airspace."The mystery transport planes," as described by The Telegraph, have fuelled speculation amongst defence analysts who suggest the flights could be part of an undisclosed logistics operation — possibly moving military supplies, key personnel, or sensitive cargo to support Iran during its escalating confrontation with types of planes are typically used for transport," one expert told Fox News Digital, "and could be evidence of China aiding its longtime ally Iran during the conflict."China and Iran are strategic partners. They oppose the US-led world order and favour a multipolar phase in global diplomacy. Iran is also a key energy supplier to China, sending two million barrels of oil daily."I think it's important to remember what the relationship is; forty-three percent of China's oil and gas comes from the Middle East, a large volume of that from Iran," Robert Greenway, director of the Heritage Foundation's Centre for National Defence, told "The Ingraham Angle" on Wednesday night. Iran supplies China with about two million barrels of oil each DENIES INVOLVEMENT IN CHINA-IRAN FLIGHTSThe main airline involved, Luxembourg-based cargo airline, Cargolux has denied allegations linking its aircraft to a series of suspicious Boeing 747 flights from China to Iran, which reportedly disappeared from radar near Iranian airspace. These claims have fuelled speculation that China may be covertly aiding Iran with weapons during its ongoing tensions with a statement released on both its official website and Facebook page on Sunday, Cargolux clarified that "none of its flights utilise Iranian airspace." The airline emphasised that its operations are fully transparent and relies on advanced tracking systems to ensure real-time flight tracking systems provide real-time data, which confirms that no flight entered Iranian airspace. Any claims to the contrary are completely unfounded," the company XI CALLS FOR CEASEFIREChina's President Xi Jinping urged more diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict between Israel and Iran in a call with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Thursday, Chinese state news agency Xinhua without naming the United States, said "major countries" with "special influence" in the region should step up diplomatic efforts to cool down the situation, the report said, emphasising Israel's role in bringing about a ceasefire.

Mint

42 minutes ago

• Mint

‘Dictator approved' sculpture smashing Statue of Liberty in DC baffles internet: ‘Trump should take a selfie with it'

In another turn of events, the artists behind last year's controversial 'poop statue" are back with another masterpiece. This time, it is called 'Dictator Approved', a mocking nod to US President Donald Trump. The statue stands tall in the same spot on the National Mall near Third Street NW. The 8-foot-tall sculpture of a gold-painted hand gives a thumbs-up while crushing the seafoam green crown of the Statue of Liberty. According to a permit from the National Park Service, the artists created Dictator Approved as a response to the military parade held on June 14. 'Will feature imagery similar to autocratic, oppressive regime, i.e. N. Korea, Russia, and China, marching through DC, " the application penned by the sculpture's architects states. According to the parade, the purpose of this artistic masterpiece is to bring to notice the 'the praising these types of oppressive leaders have given Donald Trump.' An all four sides of the artwork's base, quotes from world leaders are inscribed. One is from Russian President Vladimir Putin that states, 'President Trump is a very bright and talented man.' Another from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban which states, 'The most respected, the most feared person is Donald Trump.' The third side features a quote from former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, 'We do have a great deal of shared values. I admire President Trump.' The fourth quote is from no other than North Korea's Kim Jong Un, ''Your Excellency.' A 'special' relationship. 'The extraordinary courage of President Trump.'' The permit lists Mary Harris as the applicant which allows the artwork to be in place until 5:00 PM of June 22, The Washington Post reported citing permit documents. Its placement was authorised from 7:00 AM of June 16. Social media users were in a frenzy on seeing the 'Dictator Approved' artwork and flooded the internet with hilarious reactions. A user stated, 'This is more beautiful than the statue of liberty itself.' Another user remarked, 'Trump is dictator-approved.' A third user stated, 'This is hilarious!' A fourth user quipped, 'Trump needs to do a selfie next to it.' A fifth user remarked, 'Art as protest—love it. A bold statement against authoritarianism right on the Mall.'

Business Standard

an hour ago

• Business Standard

Foreigners evacuated by air, land and sea as Israel-Iran conflict worsens

Some governments are using land borders to get their citizens out by road to countries where airports remain open. AP Islamabad Countries are evacuating their nationals from Israel and Iran by air, land and sea as conflict rages between the bitter rivals. Days of attacks and reprisals by the two enemies have shuttered airspace across the Middle East, severely disrupting commercial flights and leaving people unable to get in or out of the region easily. Some governments are using land borders to get their citizens out by road to countries where airports remain open. Thousands of foreigners have already left since the conflict started last week when Israel launched surprise missile strikes on Iran. Bulgaria Bulgaria has moved all its diplomats from Tehran to the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku, the Balkan country's prime minister said Thursday. We are not closing the embassy, ??but moving it to Baku until the danger passes, said Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov. A group of 89 Bulgarians was evacuated from Israel by plane to Sofia, along with 59 nationals from Slovenia, the US, Belgium, Albania, Kosovo and Romania. They left from the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh, where they had been transferred by bus across the border from Israel. He said the government had urged all Bulgarians willing to join the convoy to do so. They set off in 11 vehicles on Wednesday morning. There were alternatives. They could travel via Turkey, but eventually we decided that they should go via Azerbaijan, Zhelyazkov added. China China said it has evacuated more than 1,600 nationals from Iran and several hundred others from Israel. Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Beijing would continue to do its utmost to assist in the safe transfer and evacuation of Chinese citizens. Aell Huang, who was in the Iranian city of Isfahan, said he didn't feel safe during the conflict. I heard explosions from time to time. Civilians got hurt too. I got more prepared mentally once I saw the embassy's warning. He and some friends hired a car and headed to Azerbaijan, waiting at border control for almost 12 hours, where he saw as many as 60 other Chinese nationals. The Chinese Embassy said it would organise group evacuations by bus from Israel starting Friday. A notice posted on the embassy's WeChat social media account said citizens would be taken out through the Taba border crossing to Egypt. It asked them to register online and said they would be notified of the evacuation time. People carrying Chinese, Hong Kong, and Macao passports were eligible, the notice said. European Union The European Union has helped evacuate some 400 people from Israel via Jordan and Egypt as part of its efforts to coordinate an emergency response within the 27-nation bloc. Member states coordinate the list and we co-finance these flights up to 75 per cent of the transport costs, European Commission spokesperson Eva Hrncirova told a regular press conference in Brussels on Wednesday. Hrncirova said the E.U. was fielding requests by Slovakia, Lithuania, Greece, and Poland for assistance with Middle East evacuations. France French Foreign Minister Jean-Nol Barrot said Thursday it was helping nationals who want to leave Iran and Israel to do so through neighboring countries where commercial flights were still available. Barrot said people in Iran could travel to Armenia and Turkey without a visa. Those unable to reach the border on their own would be transported by convoy by the end of the week so they could take commercial flights to France. French nationals wanting to leave Israel can go via Jordan and Egypt. From Friday morning, some buses will carry passengers from the Israeli border to Amman and Sharm el-Sheikh airports. Germany Germany flew 171 people out of Amman on a special flight on Wednesday. A further 174 people returned on Thursday and another flight is planned this weekend. Passenger Daniel Halav, who was stuck in Tel Aviv, said he had never been so glad to be home after landing in Frankfurt, the German news agency dpa reported. But, he said, we had to take care of ourselves of how we got to Amman. From my point of view, we were left a bit alone there. The German Foreign Ministry said officials had decided against organizing convoys to get people to Amman, arguing this move could have created a security risk and that those wishing to leave were scattered across Israel. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)