■ Katalin Lévai: ban on Gay Pride “unacceptable”

BRUSSELS, June 12, 2008  – There has been anger today in the European Parliament over the ban on Budapest Gay Pride by the city’s police chief Dr. Gábor Tóth for traffic congestion reasons.

While Hungarian MEP Katalin Lévai (PSE), a former minister for equal opportunities, described the ban as “unacceptable” and “a significant minority in Hungary must not be denied a chance to present itself”, the Parliament’s all-party ‘Intergroup’ on gay and lesbian rights has tabled a parliamentary question to the European Commission.

“I do not believe that a colourful parade on a Saturday morning during the summer would cause a major obstruction to traffic on the less-frequented Andrassy Avenue,” Ms. Lévai told the Hungarian news agency MTI this morning.

She pointed out that several hundred police officers have secured events by the homophobic far-right organisation Hungarian Guard – and that Budapest regularly hosts processions by other groups.

MEPs Michael Cashman, Sophie In´t Veld, Marco Cappato and Raul Romeva, from the gay and lesbian rights ‘Intergroup’ has asked the European Commission to raise the issue with the Hungarian authorities – and to express the concern of the European Union.

“Is the Commission aware of [the ban],” the hard-hitting written question asks?

“Doesn’t the Commission think that freedom of expression, assembly and demonstration shall prevail over debatable reasons as the ones put forward by the local authorities of Budapest?  Doesn’t the Commission think that the police authorities shall ensure protection and safety for participants to the march, instead of creating obstacles to it?”

A full statement from the '‘Intergroup’ for gay and lesbian rights is expected tomorrow.

MTI is reporting this afternoon that Budapest deputy police chief Zsolt Bodnar said that talks between the police and the Gay Pride organisers had been going on for a month.  He confirmed that no agreement had been reached.

However, coordination talks will continue, Bodnar told MTI, adding that there was still hope for an agreement to be reached.

SEE ALSO

Police Approve Budapest Gay Pride March.  The chief of Budapest police has today reversed his decision earlier this week to bam the city’s Gay Pride march next month. (UK Gay News, June 13, 2008)

Police Chief Bans Budapest Gay Pride.  Budapest police chief Dr. Gábor Tóth has banned the Gay Pride March, it emerged last night.  The march, which Dr. Tóth said would disrupt traffic in the city, was scheduled to take place on Saturday July 5 on Andrássy, one of Budapest’s main streets.  (UK Gay News, June 12, 2008)