More than 20 activists gathered in front of the Hungarian embassy in DC on Friday to protest the ban on Budapest’s pride and other LGBTQ-specific events.
Paul O’Brien, executive director of Amnesty International USA, read a letter written by Dávid Vig, executive director of Amnesty International Hungary.
“For 30 years, Budapest pride has been a celebration of hope, courage and love,” Bige said in a letter read by O’Brien. “While marching every street in Budapest is a powerful testament to the resilience of those who dare to demand equality, the new law threatens to silence everyone who demands equal rights from LGBTI people.”
“The Hungarian government’s relentless campaign on LGBTI rights represents a worrying trend that can spread the division of normalization and hatred,” Vig added. “Thank you for standing with us when we refused to be threatened.”
Also spoken by Global Equality Council Chairman Mark Bromley and two of his colleagues, Stephen Leoneri and Kiefer Buckingham. Asia Russell and Chloe Schwenke, executive directors of Health Gap, are political appointees of the Obama territorial administration who worked for the U.S. International Development Agency, and the planned parent staff are among those present in the protest.
(Video of Washington Blade by Michael K. Lovers)
In March, Hungarian lawmakers passed a bill that would ban pride events and allow authorities to use facial recognition technology to identify participants. In April, MPs amended the Hungarian constitution to ban public LGBTQ events.
The Budapest Pride is scheduled to take place on Saturday despite the ban. Hundreds of European lawmakers are expected to participate.
“We will send power to the patriotic Hungarians marching tomorrow and advance the dignity and fundamental rights of the nation they love,” said David Pressman, a former gay US ambassador, on social media on Friday.
We will send our strength to the patriotic Hungarians marching tomorrow, advancing the dignity and fundamental rights of the nations they love. Szabadságés Szerelem. My past remarks on Budapest pride: https://t.co/y1qha9qoua
– David Pressman (@ambpressman) June 27, 2025
Post-activists protested outside the Hungarian embassy in DC. Washington Blade: First appeared in LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, and Gay News.
Source: Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News – www.washingtonblade.com
