This week, members of Hungarys Parliamentvoted to ban any LGBTQ+ Pride events as part of its child protection legislation. Act LXXIXwas initially passed in 2021 and received pushback from the European Union as well as the United States. In 2022, the European Commission, the EUs executive body, referred Hungary to the Court of Justice over the law, calling it discriminatory to people on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity.The latest amendment banning Pride was proposed by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbns Fideszparty and passed by a 136-27margin. This comes a month after Orbns State of the Union address where he said, I advise that the Pride organizers do not bother to prepare for this years parade. It wasted money and time.The amendment also includes fines for attending a Pride event of $547 (200,000 Hungarian forints). The amendment also allows for facial recognition software to be used to identify participants. Pride in Hungary has been happening since 1997 and Hungary is now the first country in the EU to ban Pride events. The move is not popular among Hungarians however, with a recent poll showing that only 13% of participants favor a ban on Pride. Members of the opposition Momentum party released smoke bombs in the chamber, threw paper and called for Hungarians to protest the updated law. Thousands of protesters did take to the streets the evening of the vote. Budapest Pride spokesperson Joj Majercsik was interviewed by the Associated Press about the ban on Pride and said, Many, many people have been mobilized. Its a new thing, compared to the attacks of the last years, that weve received many messages and comments from people saying, Until now I havent gone to Pride, I didnt care about it, but this year Ill be there and Ill bring my family.In a press release from Amnesty International, a global human rights watchdog, Director of Amnesty International Hungary Dvid Vig said, This law is a full-frontal attack on the LGBTI community and a blatant violation of Hungarys obligations to prohibit discrimination and guarantee freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. The post Hungary bans LGBTQ+ Pride, participants could be fined appeared first on News Is Out.