Foreign Office alerts UK tourists to new legal ruling in European travel hotspot

The UK Foreign Office has issued new guidance to people in the UK who may be heading to the nation, which sees hundreds of thousands of Brit visitors each year

Hungary passed new legislation around LGBT+ rallies and marches late last month. According to the Foreign Office, this new law specifically bans future demonstrations that may involve children.

It explained: “Hungary passed legislation that could be used as a legal basis to ban future rallies and marches that depict or promote LGBT+ identities to minors.” People taking part in newly “unsanctioned events” may be identified by authorities using facial recognition technology.

If you are found to be taking part, you could face fines of up to 200,000 Hungarian Forints, roughly equivalent to £420. With the annual Budapest Pride march scheduled for June, travellers should be aware of the new legislation.

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The Foreign Office advises: “If you are planning to attend Budapest Pride, you should follow local media and the British Embassy’s social media for updates.” Same-sex activity is still legal in the country and the department notes the capital of Budapest is “generally tolerant and open”.

Hundreds of thousands of Brits visit Hungary each year. Figures dating back to 2016 put the figure at more than 376,000 a year.

The new legislation was fast-tracked through Parliament and has been widely criticised. It has drawn reaction from EU commissioner for equality, Hadja Lahbib, on X who wrote: “The right to gather peacefully is a fundamental right to be championed across the European Union.”

Michael O’Flaherty from the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights noted he was “very concerned” and urged the president to veto the law. A number of protests occurred as a reaction to the legislation, including a Gray Pride march which went viral online.

Thousands of protesters took to the street in fully monochrome outfits and satirical placards. Budapest Pride is reportedly due to still go ahead despite the ban.

The city’s major Gergely Karacsony said this year’s celebration “could be bigger than ever”, according to Reuters. The mayor added: “Budapest is the city of freedom: there will be Pride.”