Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok has signed the legislation allowing for the banning of Pride events, as revealed in the Hungarian Gazette published overnight. As Magyar Nemzet previously highlighted, the amendment to the law on the right to assembly was submitted to Parliament on Monday, and on Tuesday, it was passed with 136 votes in favor as part of a proposal modifying laws related to child protection.
Under the approved legislation, Pride parades will no longer be permitted in the future.
According to the transcript available on the Hungarian Parliament’s website, the governing parties’ proposal amends the law on the right to assembly by prohibiting any gathering that violates the restrictions outlined in the child protection law. As the proponents stated, the protection of children also necessitates that legislators declare it unlawful for anyone to mislead the assembly authorities in order to hold a prohibited gathering, or to participate in such an event.
To prevent abuses, offenders may be fined for violations, with the penalties enforced as public debts to be collected in the same manner as taxes. The funds collected from these fines will be allocated to child protection initiatives.
The vote was disrupted by a scandalous stunt from Momentum lawmakers, who threw pamphlets into the chamber from the messanine, while David Bedo, Lajos Locsei, and independent lawmaker Akos Hadhazy, who is supported by Momentum, set off smoke grenades and shouted, “We won’t let this happen!” Presiding Speaker Janos Latorcai announced that the disruptive lawmakers would face sanctions.
Cover photo: Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok (Photo: MTI/Szilard Koszticsak)