According to the indictment, Karacsony had encouraged his followers on social media to attend the Pride march organised by the municipality on June 28. The metropolitan police had issued a ban for the event on June 19 citing stipulations of the child protection law, and because "another person reserved the location for an event of a different kind" on the given day.

The indictment also said that the mayor did not appeal the police ban and "went on organising the event despite the police ban". 

"He published further invitations to participate in the event, and led the march" from in front of the City Hall to the Technical University on the Buda side.

The prosecutors have proposed imposing a fine on the mayor without trial for violating the freedoms of association and assembly, the statement said.

Karacsony said in response on Facebook: "I shall never accept … that my homeland should criminalise standing up to freedom, the expression of opinion, that it should ban the freedom of love, or that anyone should be punishable for believing, thinking or loving differently from the majority."

He said that the procedure "seems to be the price for standing up for our and others' freedom, but anyone who thinks they can ban me or my city from doing that … is very, very wrong."

Karacsony also said that the Prosecutor's Office wanted to impose a fine on him without a trial "for organising the biggest freedom march of the past decades."

The main point of the indictment, that he organised the march, was true, he said: "this was what happened … and the fact that hundreds of thousands came … turned that day an unforgettable miracle, a reference point."

Karacsony posted the following on X:

"I was a suspect, now I'm being accused because I stood up for freedom - my own and of others."

"Prosecutors are seeking to fine me without a trial for announcing and organizing Budapest Büszkeség, Budapest Pride in its international name, the largest freedom march in decades here in Budapest."

"I refuse to be intimidated or silenced. I will never accept that standing up for freedom, free speech, or love can be treated as a crime. Despite threats or punishment, I will continue to fight. Freedom and love cannot be banned."

Source: MTI – Hungary’s national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent.

Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media.

XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com

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