A protest organized by independent representative Hadházy Ákos is planned to take place at the Erzsébet Bridge on Tuesday, April 1, in response to recent legal changes restricting assembly rights and prohibiting Pride events in Hungary.

Initially, Hadházy's plan was to occupy the bridge for a minimum of 24 hours as a demonstration against these restrictions.

The Hungarian police announced that the protest has been approved only from 5 PM on Tuesday until 4 AM the following day, citing concerns about disruption to traffic as the reason for rejecting the longer blockade.

The police stated that the organizers must vacate the site by the designated time to ensure the smooth operation of traffic.

Hadházy and his supporters have appealed this decision; however, the Supreme Court, led by judge Varga Zs. András, declined the request, asserting that the police provided sufficient justification for how the planned protest could infringe on the rights and freedoms of others.

The court emphasized that while a protest may unintentionally cause traffic delays, its goal cannot be the explicit obstruction of public transportation.

Following the court's ruling, Hadházy expressed his dissatisfaction with the decision but indicated that there will still be a significant presence at the bridge for the evening, suggesting a lengthy demonstration within the enforced timeframe.

He emphasized that the turnout size at the protest holds greater importance than the number of blocks occupied.

The protests organized by Hadházy and his party, Momentum, have been ongoing for four weeks, driven by opposition to the government coalition of Fidesz-KDNP, Jobbik, and Mi Hazánk, which has legislated a ban on gatherings that promote gender reassignment and homosexuality since mid-March.

Protests have previously disrupted traffic at various bridges in Budapest, including the Erzsébet Bridge itself.

The government has responded critically to these demonstrations, with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stating that the closure of bridges is not acceptable and expressing the opinion that the non-protesting majority has the right to conduct their lives normally.

To address this, the government plans to introduce legislation aimed at safeguarding the rights of non-protestors.

Orbán suggested that any protests disrupting traffic significantly should be prohibited.

This regulation was initially established in law by Fidesz in 2018; however, the Prime Minister contended that the Supreme Court misinterpreted the law from earlier rulings that allowed the Erzsébet Bridge blockade.

He stated, "If judges make decisions we disagree with, we cannot direct the court as it is independent.

What we can do is amend the laws to prevent such judicial decisions from enabling multiple bridge closures in Budapest."

In a related development, faculty and researchers from Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) issued a solidarity statement opposing the legislative changes enabling the Pride ban.

The statement expresses concerns that the amendments limiting assembly rights violate fundamental freedoms and equal dignity, emphasizing the need to protect the university community against discrimination and uphold the freedom of expression.

The legislative changes passed by the Fidesz-majority parliament on March 18, 2023, aim to enforce penalties on gatherings deemed to promote homosexuality, while organizers and participants could face fines up to 200,000 HUF.

The Government has faced increasing criticism and opposition from citizen groups and academia concerning this legislative move, perceiving it as an attack on basic rights and freedoms.

Recent protests have initiated a dialogue concerning the government’s stance on LGBTQ+ rights and assembly in Hungary.