BUDAPEST -- Hungary's parliament has passed an amendment that will ban the annual LGBT Pride march on the grounds that it could be considered "harmful to children."
The amendment to the country's assembly law was fast-tracked through parliament by the ruling right-wing Fidesz party of Prime Minister Viktor Orban and passed with 136 votes in favor, 27 against, and no abstentions.
The amendment explicitly prohibits assemblies that violate the prohibition set out in the Child Protection Act, that "promotes and displays deviations from the gender identity corresponding to the sex at birth, gender change, and homosexuality."
Hungary’s annual Pride march, which is part of the Budapest Pride Festival, usually takes place on the first Saturday of July.
The newly amended law will target not only the organizers of Pride gatherings but also participants.
Smoke bombs were set off in parliament in protest at the passing of the amendment on March 18.
Under the amended law, violators could face misdemeanor charges and fines of up to 200,000 forints (around $540). The amendment also authorizes the use of facial-recognition systems to identify participants at prohibited rallies.
During the debate in parliament, Fidesz deputies, which have a majority in the National Assembly, argued the amendment would protect children's interests and was necessary to prevent potential abuse.
Organizers Say Pride Will Still Take Place
The amendment follows a statement Orban made in February suggesting the organizers of Pride should not bother preparing this year's parade and calling it "a waste of money and time." Several officials from the ruling party, which has been in power since 2010, also called for banning the Pride parade altogether.
In response to the parliamentary amendment, Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony, who is in opposition to Fidesz, declared on Facebook that "Pride will happen! It may even be bigger than ever."
He emphasized that Budapest will protect those who stand up for "their self-esteem, their community, for freedom, and for the power of love."
The session in parliament was disturbed by protests from deputies from the center-left Momentum party, who filled the chamber with red, white, and green smoke -- the colors of the Hungarian flag -- played the Soviet anthem and distributed photo-montages that depicted depicting Orban and Putin embracing.
Despite the ban, however, Pride organizers have said they are still planning to go ahead with the march.