Tension Rises Over Budapest Pride Ban Amid Calls for Freedom

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has urged Hungarian authorities to allow the Budapest Pride parade to proceed after its cancellation by police. In response, Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban insisted the European Commission should not meddle in national law enforcement affairs.

The police prohibition, based on a March law emphasizing child protection over the right to assemble, was challenged by Budapest's liberal mayor and event organizers, who plan to continue the parade as a municipal event exempt from needing official permits.

Von der Leyen emphasized the fundamental freedom of marching for one's rights in Europe, expressing her hopes that the event would occur without legal repercussions. Critics claim the ban is part of a broader effort to restrict democratic freedoms as Orban, ahead of elections, frames himself as a defender of family values.

(With inputs from agencies.)