In a massive show of joy and resistance on Saturday, tens of thousands of marchers choked the streets of Budapest to attend a renamed Budapest Pride Freedom parade, in defiance of the national governments ban on Pride events.We believe there are 180,000 to 200,000 people attending, the president of Budapest Pride, Viktria Radvnyi, told AFP. It is hard to estimate because there have never been so many people at Budapest Pride. Related Hungary passes constitutional amendment banning Pride as protesters hold Gray Pride protest Supporters of the law said that it would protect children from knowing that LGBTQ+ people exist. The 30th anniversary of the citys traditional Pride parade was banned by the nationalist Prime Minister Victor Orbns government this spring, following successive legislation that outlawed Pride gatherings in the country. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Orbn and his right-wing Fidesz party described the Pride events as a physical and moral threat to children. He vowed severe legal consequences for anyone attending Saturdays event. View this post on Instagram A post shared by CHNGE (@chnge)Instead, police stood idly by, and Orbn was crowned king of European Pride in absentia by his expected challenger in next years national elections.Yesterday, Viktor Orbn became the king of European Pride, because no one else has ever managed to mobilize such a large crowd for a demonstration against himself by inciting hatred and incitement, said Peter Magyar, the Hungarian opposition leader.Magyars new political party, Tisza, holds a 15-point lead over Orbns right-wing Fidesz in a recent opinion poll. Earlier this month, police announced they would follow the governments threats of a crackdown on marchers, including the use of newly installed facial recognition technology along the parade route.That led the progressive mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karcsony, to recast the march as a separate municipal event, as a way to circumvent the need for the national governments authorization. The mayor said on Saturday that the march had become a symbol of discontent against a government that has weakened democratic institutions and undermined the rule of law.The government is always fighting against an enemy against which they have to protect Hungarian people, said Karcsony. This time, it is sexual minorities that are the target we believe there should be no first and second class citizens, so we decided to stand by this event.We came because they tried to ban it, Timi, a Hungarian national marching with her daughter, who travelled from Barcelona, told the Guardian.This is about much more, not just about homosexuality, Eszter Rein-Bdi told Reuters. This is the last moment to stand up for our rights.Akos Horvath, 18, travelled two hours from southern Hungaryto march and told AFP the event had symbolic importance.Its not just about representing gay people, but about standing up for the rights of the Hungarian people.The march drew more than 70 members of the European Parliament and scores of politicians from across Europe, including Sophie Rohonyi, the president of Defi, a liberal Belgian party.The party head said she came to Budapest to show Mr. Orbn that just because he is elected does not mean that he can do whatever he wants.The right of assembly, she told The New York Times, cannot be thrown away just because a prime minister wants to ban Pride. Human rights activist Greta Thunberg was in Budapest posting from the march, in defiance of Orbns desperate attempt to ban it.Pride is both a protest but also a celebration of love and who we are. This is yet another fascist attack on human rights. But you cannot ban love, she said in a video reposted by Orbns propaganda minister.After a failed mission in Gaza, a young, angry person now shows up in Budapest, rainbow flag flying, ready to offer unsolicited advice on how Hungarians should run their countrylive from Budapest Pride. "Welcome" to Hungary, @GretaThunberg. pic.twitter.com/cZgCWw6oaV Balzs Orbn (@BalazsOrban_HU) June 28, 2025As Orbn has railed against the Wests gender insanity, Hungarys LGBTQ+ community has been described in government propaganda as a puppet of hostile foreign forces.Orbn has claimed Pride celebrations were under international protection by foreign representatives like David Pressman, the out former U.S. ambassador to Hungary, who departed in February.Because Pressman had left, Orbn said in February, the event is no longer under international protection and it will not take place.Twenty-one-year-old Budapest resident Mici said she attended Pride marches in the past but feared for her safety this year with government threats and the Orwellian surveillance technology.Those fears faded as she joined the tens of thousands of marchers in the old city.At first, I was scared to come out because of the news, but I feel safe with so many people, she said.I think the crowd that has come from across Europe, the record numbers, will make Hungarian people see that this cause is well-supported.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.