Sat Aug 02 14:30:00 UTC 2025: ## Budapest Mayor Questioned Over Defiant Pride March as Tensions Escalate in Hungary
**BUDAPEST, Hungary** – Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony was questioned by police on Friday for his alleged role in organizing a record-breaking LGBTQ Pride march that the Hungarian government had attempted to ban. The move comes as Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government faces increasing scrutiny over its anti-LGBTQ policies.
Karácsony arrived at the National Bureau of Investigation to a crowd of approximately 200 supporters, telling them before entering that “freedom for Hungarian society” was at stake. The June 28th Pride march, which organizers claim drew 300,000 participants, was a direct challenge to the government’s recent anti-LGBTQ law, which banned such events and granted authorities the power to use facial recognition to identify attendees.
While authorities previously announced they would not be charging attendees, investigations into the organizers remained ongoing. Budapest Pride President Viktória Radványi praised Karácsony’s “courage and strong morals,” emphasizing his commitment to defending citizens’ fundamental rights.
The controversial anti-LGBTQ law, passed in March, is just one piece of legislation that has drawn condemnation from rights groups and European politicians. A 2021 law already barred any content depicting homosexuality to minors, drawing comparisons to restrictions in Russia. Orbán and his party have defended these measures, arguing that Pride events violate children’s rights to moral and spiritual development, a principle they recently enshrined in a constitutional amendment, prioritizing it over the right to assemble.
After an hour of questioning, Karácsony emerged and told reporters he had been formally accused of organizing a prohibited event but refused to answer police questions. He asserted that the government’s failed attempt to ban Pride had weakened its grip on the people.
Looking ahead to the national elections next spring, Karácsony framed the vote as an opportunity to return Hungary to a more European path. “We want to live in a country where freedom is not for the holders of power to do what they want, but for all our compatriots,” he declared, emphasizing the need for collective freedom for all Hungarians.
First Piper 