In the Hungarian capital, tens of thousands took to the streets against anti-queer politics. Earlier, the government had hit a bookstore chain with a record fine for a comic book featuring two young lovers.
At the traditional Pride march in Budapest, tens of thousands demonstrated against the government’s restrictive policy on sexual minorities. The protest was also directed against a record fine imposed on Friday against a bookstore chain that is said to have offered a comic book for youngsters with LGBTQI issues for sale.
According to the organizers, 35,000 people took to the streets despite the blistering heat. Among them was the US Ambassador to Hungary, David Pressman. Shortly after the action against the bookseller, the governments of 37 countries, including the USA and all EU countries except Poland, protested in a joint letter against the discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer and trans people in Hungary.
EU Commission has sued Hungary
The book distributor Lira was fined a record 12 million forints (about 32,000 euros) by a government agency on Friday. The reason given was that Lira offered the Hungarian version of Alice Oseman’s comic book “Heartstopper” for sale without the required protective film. Recommended for ages 14+, the book is about two teenage boys who fall in love.
A so-called “Child Protection Act” has been in force in Hungary for two years, which stipulates that bookstores should not offer books in the youth book department if they address homosexuality, transgender or “sexuality for its own sake”. The books must also be wrapped in foil so that you cannot leaf through them.
The EU Commission took Hungary to the European Court of Justice at the end of last year because of the law. Among other things, she sees the information rights of young people restricted, which would violate EU fundamental rights.