Hungary Bans LGBTQ Symbols On Government Buildings
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban prohibited the display of symbols "referring to or promoting" sexual minorities on government buildings, hours before the 30th Budapest Pride festival formally opens on Friday.
The nationalist leader has been rolling back LGBTQ rights in the name of "child protection" for years and this year his governing coalition adopted legal changes aimed at barring the annual Pride march.
The parade is the culmination of the weeks-long Budapest Pride Festival, and this year is scheduled to take place on June 28, despite the ban threat.
A fresh decree signed by Orban and published in the government's gazette late Thursday said that "symbols referring to or promoting different sexual and gender orientations or the political movements representing them may not be placed on buildings" connected to the government or the central bank.
The prime minister's office stressed it is a "symbolic" decision, because displaying such symbols was "not common practice on government buildings".
"The government decree primarily confirms that the government is fully committed to curbing LGBTQ propaganda aimed at children, whether in kindergartens, schools, the media or public spaces," it said in a statement.
Municipal buildings are not affected by the decree.
Budapest City Hall has flown the rainbow flag during each year's Pride festival since liberal mayor Gergely Karacsony was elected in 2019.
Pride organisers are still intent on holding this year's parade, despite the legal uncertainty surrounding the event.
On Thursday, an advocate general to the European Court of Justice recommended that Hungary be declared in breach of EU law over an anti-LGBTQ law adopted in 2021.
The legislation prohibits the "display or promotion of homosexuality" to under-18s, also serving the basis for this year's fresh legal changes aiming to ban the Pride march.
On Friday, Orban blasted the advocate general's recommendation as "shameful".
"It seems that the freedom to spread sexual propaganda is more important to the Brusselians than protecting children's rights. This is madness!" the nationalist leader said on the X social media platform.
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