Budapest turns grey as drably dressed protesters mock Pride ban law
Stay tuned with 24 News HD Android App
Thousands of Hungarian protesters wearing drab clothes and brandishing satirical placards turned the streets of Budapest into a sea of grey Saturday, poking fun at Prime Minister Viktor Orban's recent clampdown on LGBTQ rights and diversity.
"Sameness is trendy" and "Censorship" read some of the ironic signs held up by protesters, who aimed at Orban's nationalist policies.
Saturday's rally was called by the small parodic Two-tailed Dog Party (MKKP) in response to a recently adopted bill, which aims to ban the annual Pride parade on the basis that it infringes on Hungary's much-criticised "child protection" law.
The legislation -- which was fast-tracked through parliament -- also enables authorities to fine those who attend or organise such an event, and use facial recognition tools to identify potential offenders.
Waving grey flags, including rainbow flags turned monochromatic that called for a "Gray Pride", more than 10,000 people joined the humourous demonstration with a serious cause in Budapest, according to AFP journalists.
"Look at all these people here now, dressed in grey —- a perfect display of what sameness looks like," engineer Kata Bicskei told AFP.
"That's the twist, of course. We don't want everyone to be the same," said the 53-year-old.
Another protester, Tamas Olajos, 30, said that "humour exposes the absurd", adding that the rally made light of recent developments and was a "way to respond to a regime that takes itself too seriously".
Since Orban's return to power in 2010, Hungary has passed a series of laws, which have been slammed at home and across the EU for curtailing the rights of the country's sexual and gender minorities.
On Monday, the parliament is set to vote on a constitutional amendment that would strengthen the legal foundations for the prohibition of the Pride march.
The latest measures have already sparked protests in Hungary, with thousands of people blocking bridges in the capital every Tuesday, demanding the Pride ban law's repeal.
Pride organisers have said they still plan to go ahead with this year's march on June 28. About a dozen EU lawmakers have said they will attend it.