Thousands of Hungarians braved scorching heat for the annual Pride march in Budapest on Saturday, protesting against government controls over public displays by the LGBT community. Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government promotes a Christian-conservative agenda and in 2021 banned “display and promotion of homosexuality” in books and films accessible by under-18s despite strong criticism from rights groups and the European Union. “The Pride (movement) should be the pioneer of freedom of expression, acceptance and equality,” said Gergely Varga, a marcher and makeup artist in his 30s wearing rainbow-coloured clothes designed by a friend. “But unfortunately I have to say that being proud of being gay is not as accepted in Hungary as in the West.”