Budapest mayor says he faces charges for allowing Pride rally

Gergely Karakusonyi has revealed that he is facing charges from the government for authorizing the Pride rally. (Attila Kisbenedek/AFP via Getty Images)

Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony has revealed that he faces charges for helping organize Pride events, which are banned in the city.

Despite Hungarian Pride’s ban, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Budapest on June 28 to protest against Viktor Orban, including Budapest Mayor Gergely Karatissony.

On Thursday (December 11), Mr. Carazón shared a video on Facebook in which he revealed that the government was pressing charges against him.

He began as follows. politiko: “The police have concluded their investigation against me in connection with the Budapest Pride march in June and have recommended charges.

“They are accusing me of breaking the law. [new law on] Freedom of assembly is completely absurd. ”

He went on to say that he has now been formally notified of the incident after being questioned by police in August.

“In a system where the law protects power rather than people, a system that oppresses free communities, it was inevitable that sooner or later, as mayor of a free city, they would file criminal charges against me.

“I am proud to have taken every political risk for the freedom of my city, and I stand proudly in court defending the freedom of myself and my city.”

The right-wing Fidesz party, led by Viktor Orbán, the European country’s prime minister since 2010, passed an anti-LGBTQ+ law banning Pride marches in Hungary in March 2025, on the grounds that depictions of homosexuality pose a threat to minors.

The ban was met with protests from opposition politicians and members of the public, who proposed fines of up to 200,000 forints (£420/$550) for Budapest Pride organizers and participants, who said the event could be considered harmful to children.

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