'Extraordinary to bear witness': Irish politicians reflect on Budapest Pride

Maria Walsh MEP and Roderic O'Gorman TD were among over 100,000 people at event banned by prime minister Viktor Orbán

Budapest Pride participants cross the Elisabeth Bridge in Budapest, Hungary, on Saturday where an estimated 100,000 people took part in the protest. Picture: Rudolf Karancsi/AP

Banning Pride marches in Hungary "badly backfired" on Viktor Orbán, Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman said, after he joined over 100,000 people for Budapest Pride.

A record number of people, from Hungary and across Europe, took to the streets for the country's main Pride march on Saturday despite the threat of legal consequences and fears around counter-protests.

The protest passed off without any major incident and there were no reports of assault emerging from the march while small groups of counter-protestors made little impact.

Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman at Budapest Pride on Saturday. He said Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán's attempt to ban Pride had backfired badly with attendance at the parade rising from 35,000 last year to 100.000 this year. Picture: Roderic O'Gorman

Mr O'Gorman was among the Irish politicians who travelled to Budapest this weekend to show their support for the LGBT+ community in Hungary and to protest against Mr Orbán's sustained attack on their rights.

Mr O'Gorman said the overwhelming display of support in Budapest showed that banning Pride badly backfired on Mr Orbán, noting that last year's event had a turnout of approximately 35,000.

"It is not just the LGBT+ community marching," Mr O'Gorman said, as footage showed the streets thronged with people of all generations, families, and international supporters.

Pride was led by Mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony, who told the crowd: "We don't exactly look as though we were banned."

Contrast with Dublin Pride

Irish MEP Maria Walsh, who also attended the march, hailed the exceptional bravery of Mr Karácsony and the organisers who have been front and centre, especially in the media, despite the potential consequences from the Government.

Ms Walsh said it was "extraordinary to bear witness" to the hundreds of thousands who came together as both members and allies of the LGBT+ community.

It was hard not to notice the differences between the march in Budapest and Dublin Pride, which was taking place at the same time, Ms Walsh said.

Political parties and organisers in Dublin would not have had to attend a number of security briefings ahead of their participation in the capital's Pride events.

Security concerns before and after

In the briefings, Ms Walsh said they were warned there could be sound bombs, projectiles thrown at them, and were advised to take off earrings or any other loose items.

Drag artists, floats, and even music, were largely lacking at the march in Hungary, she explained, and there was not the same level of Pride flags and bunting in windows around the city as you would see in Dublin throughout Pride month. She said: 

It was really back to the traditional protests for Pride where people just gathered together and started walking. 

Ms Walsh said that while the march itself appears to have proceeded without incident, people will be watching what happens over the coming days.

The Hungarian government said it would use facial recognition software to identify people attending any banned events, potentially fining them up to €500.

"Many of us fly out this evening back to the European Parliament and other member states, and I hope we don't see arrests of the likes of the mayor of Budapest and you don't see arrests of those that organised or were very visible over Pride," Ms Walsh said.