Thousands join Budapest Pride as anxiety in LGBTQ community grows

On Friday, the US was among 38 embassies to issue a joint statement urging EU-member Hungary to do more to respect and protect the LGBTQ community

Budapest officials recently imposed a record fine on a bookshop over its display of the graphic novel series Heartstopper, about two teenage boys who fall in love

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Tens of thousands of Hungarians took part in the Pride parade in Budapest on Saturday. Photo: dpa

Published: 5:59am, 16 Jul 2023

Tens of thousands of Hungarians used the annual Pride march in Budapest on Saturday to vent their anger at government laws curtailing the rights of LGBTQ minorities in the country.

About 35,000 people took to the streets in sweltering heat, according to organisers. Among those marching was the US ambassador to Hungary, David Pressman.

US Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman holds his country’s flag as he participates in the 28th Budapest Pride parade in Budapest, Hungary, Saturday, July 15, 2023. (Tamas Kovacs/MTI via AP)

On Friday, the US was among 38 embassies to issue a joint statement urging EU-member Hungary to do more to respect and protect the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI+) community.

Every EU country except Poland sent the letter.

It came soon after officials in the Hungarian capital imposed a record fine on a bookshop over its display of the graphic novel series Heartstopper by the British author Alice Oseman.

The uplifting comic is about two teenage boys who fall in love. Netflix’s television adaptation became a worldwide hit.

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