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Protesters gather against new anti-LGBTQ law in Budapest
Hungary’s parliament passed a bill on Tuesday that bans the Budapest Pride and authorizes the use of facial recognition technology to identify participants. With far-right prime minister Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Fidesz having a two-thirds majority, the legislation passed with ease. Members of the liberal Momentum Party ignited colorful smoke bombs as a sign of protest.
The bill criminalizes the organization and attendance of events deemed to breach Hungary’s controversial “child protection” law that bans the so-called “promotion or depiction” of homosexuality to anyone under the age of 18.
Attendees of such gatherings could face fines of up to 200,000 forints ($550). The grim move marks the latest assault on LGBTQ+ rights by Orbán’s government, which has already faced criticism from human rights groups worldwide.
Budapest Pride organizers issued a statement on the government's decision saying "This is not child protection, this is fascism. Pride is not just a protest. Pride is a movement. The Hungarian government is trying to restrict peaceful protests with a critical voice by targeting a minority. Therefore, as a movement, we will fight for the freedom of all Hungarians to protest!"
Many in Budapest took to the streets to protest the decision -- later, Momentum organized a demonstration which attracted an even bigger crowd. "We know what they are going to do. Same thing as the Russians," Independent MP Akos Hadhazy said at the protest, adding that the Parliament did not pass an anti-gay law, but an anti-democratic law. "This is a law introducing Chinese-style technofascism."