Hungarian prosecutors have formally charged Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony for organizing last year’s prohibited LGBTQ+ Pride march, marking a significant escalation in the government’s campaign against sexual minority events. The Budapest Chief Prosecutor’s Office announced Wednesday that Karácsony, who has led the capital since 2019, violated prohibition orders by publicly promoting and leading the June 28 demonstration despite an official ban imposed by Hungary’s right-wing nationalist government.
The event, which organizers claim attracted approximately 300,000 participants—making it the largest Pride gathering in Hungarian history—proceeded in defiance of police restrictions. Prosecutors have recommended financial penalties without trial proceedings, alleging the mayor repeatedly encouraged public participation before personally leading the unlawful assembly.
In a defiant response, Karácsony declared himself a ‘proud defendant,’ asserting that defending fundamental freedoms should not constitute criminal behavior. ‘If anyone thinks they can ban me, deter me, or prevent me and my city from doing so, they are gravely mistaken,’ the mayor stated, framing the charges as political retaliation for supporting LGBTQ+ rights.
The legal action follows controversial legislation enacted in March 2025 by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s ruling party that prohibited Pride events nationwide. The government has justified these measures by claiming such celebrations violate children’s rights to moral development, prioritizing these protections over constitutional guarantees of peaceful assembly. This approach mirrors earlier restrictive policies, including a 2021 law banning homosexual content from minors—legislation widely criticized by European institutions and human rights organizations as repressive and comparable to Russian-style restrictions on sexual minorities.