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Associated Press
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Around 100,000 march in Budapest Pride in defiance of Hungary's ban
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Around 100,000 people defied a government ban and police orders on Saturday to march in what organizers called the largest LGBTQ+ Pride event in Hungary's history in an open rebuke of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's government. Marchers gambled with potential police intervention and heavy fines to participate in the 30th annual Budapest Pride, which was outlawed by a law passed in March by Orbán's right-wing populist governing party. The march began at Budapest City hall and wound through the city center before crossing the capital's Erzsébet Bridge over the Danube River. Police diverted the crowd from its planned route to keep it separated from a small group of far-right counterprotesters, while members of Hungary's LGBTQ+ community and large numbers of supporters danced to music and waved rainbow and anti-government flags. The massive size of the march, which the government for months had insisted would no longer be permitted in Hungary, was seen as a major blow to Orbán's prestige, as the European Union's longest-serving leader's popularity slumps in the polls where a new opposition force has taken the lead. Some participants said that the march wasn't only about defending the fundamental rights of sexual minorities, but also addressed what they see as an accelerating crackdown on democratic processes under Orbán's rule. Orbán and his party have insisted that Pride, a celebration of LGBTQ+ visibility and struggle for equal rights, was a violation of children's rights to moral and spiritual development — rights that a recent constitutional amendment declared took precedence over other fundamental rights, including that to peacefully assemble. The law fast-tracked through parliament in March made it an offense to hold or attend events that 'depict or promote' homosexuality to minors under age 18. Orbán earlier made clear that Budapest Pride was the explicit target of the law. Authorities installed additional cameras throughout the city center before the march, and were expected to use facial recognition tools to identify individuals who attend the banned event. According to the new law, being caught attending Pride could result in fines of up to 200,000 Hungarian forints ($586). The ban was the latest crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights by Orbán's government, which has already effectively banned both same-sex adoption and same-sex marriage and disallowed transgender individuals from changing their sex in official documents. Police rejected several requests by organizers in recent weeks to register the Pride march, citing the recent law. But Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony joined with organizers and declared it would be held as a separate municipal event — something he said that doesn't require police approval. But Hungary's government has remained firm, insisting that holding the Pride march, even if it's sponsored by the city, would be unlawful. Hungary's justice minister this week warned Karácsony that organizing Pride or encouraging people to attend would be punishable by up to a year in prison. More than 70 members of the European Parliament, as well as other officials from countries around Europe, participated in Saturday's march. Hadja Lahbib, the EU's commissioner for humanitarian aid and crisis management, earlier said that 'all eyes are on Budapest' as Pride marchers defy the government's ban.
CBC
10-06-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Carney laments Pride 'backlash' and rolls out money to make 2SLGBTQ+ parades safer
Social Sharing Prime Minister Mark Carney raised a Pride flag on Parliament Hill Tuesday to kick off a month-long celebration of sexual and gender diversity while saying there's a brewing "backlash" to these sorts of celebrations and federal money is needed to help make 2SLGBTQ+ parades safe this year. Speaking to a couple hundred MPs, senators, political staffers, community activists and others gathered on Parliament Hill for the occasion, Carney said there's been progress in the struggle for equal rights for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and trans people but the community is still in a sometimes "precarious" position. "One of the strengths of Canada is recognizing that people can be who they want to be and love who they want to love. The federal government — we are the defenders of those rights," Carney said. "Unfortunately, around the world, there's a backlash struggling against the progress that has been made. In this time, Canada will always stand up for the vulnerable and the equal rights we cherish. We can take pride in how far we've come but we should also recognize there's far more to do." Statistics Canada data suggests there's been a sizable uptick in hate crimes targeting sexual orientation. According to the latest figures, there were 860 such police-reported hate crimes in 2023 — a 69 per cent spike from the year before — with gays and lesbians the most likely targets. These police-reported crimes were most likely to occur in June — Pride month — according to Statistics Canada. There were 224 such incidents that month in 2023, about four times higher than the average (58 incidents) for the other months of the year. To that end, Carney said the federal government is making money available to Fierté Canada Pride, the organization that represents local groups who put on 2SLGBTQ+ festivals across the country, to make them safer with hateful incidents a more common occurrence than years' past. About $1.5 million in federal funds will be used to help Pride organizers address the rising cost of safety and insurance for these events, according to Women and Gender Equality Minister Rechie Valdez. "Everyone deserves to feel safe and supported in their community," Valdez said. As some countries, including the U.S., try to roll back trans rights in particular, Carney said Canada will "stand up for rights around the world." U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a series of executive actions, including an order that the federal government there recognize only two sexes — male and female — stop the promotion of "gender ideology" and instruct schools to stop helping kids with gender transition. Pride Toronto, which stages one of the largest such festivals in the world, has lost some major corporate sponsors this year, including from American businesses like Google and Home Depot. The group's executive director has said the loss of support could be connected to an executive order issued by Trump in January that ordered an end to all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, mandates, policies, programs, preferences and activities in the U.S. government. Those companies may be removing themselves from public support of 2SLGBTQ+ organizations because they fear losing U.S. government support, Pride Toronto has said. Pride Toronto has also faced controversy over its use of federal funding — it received taxpayer money for certain projects but it couldn't show they were ever completed, an audit found — and for its past statements about the Gaza war, which one Jewish group called a "betrayal."
NHK
03-06-2025
- General
- NHK
Pride Month kicks off in Thailand
Thailand has kicked off its annual month of celebrating the LGBTQ community as the country takes steps to ensure equal rights for sexual minorities. Pride Month started with a parade in central Bangkok on Sunday. Thousands from Thailand and around the world marched through the streets of the capital with rainbow flags. The celebration month is the first to be held since Thailand legalized same-sex marriage in January. Such couples are guaranteed the same rights as those in heterosexual unions, including those for tax benefits, inheritance and adoption. But rights activists say more is needed for gender equality, including laws to allow citizens to identify as they choose, regardless of sex assigned at birth. More parades are scheduled across the country throughout the month.
