The march began at Budapest City Hall and wound through the city center before crossing the capital's Erzsébet Bridge over the Danube River.

Politically, Orban’s inability to stop Pride from going ahead risks projecting weakness at a time when his Fidesz party is trailing in the polls. However, a heavy-handed police response could also deepen public dissatisfaction and further undermine his support.

With the support of the city’s liberal mayor, organizers of Budapest Pride took to the streets in defiance of Hungarian Prime Minster Viktor Orban’s effort to ban the event.