When Surveillance Meets Protest: The Case of Budapest Pride

Facial recognition, a dangerous precedent

Every day, vast amounts of data are collected, exchanged, and used worldwide. Some protect, others are exploited, and others serve as commodities - raising growing concerns around privacy, control, and surveillance.

This was the context during Budapest Pride on June 28, 2025, where police forces were authorized to use biometric surveillance technologies to identify and fine participants up to €500. This, however, did not deter the city’s mayor, who went ahead with organizing the event - a courageous gesture that inspired the estimated 200,000 participants. Despite it all, concerns among civilians and EU nations remain high as this story sets a potentially dangerous precedent in the spread of biometric surveillance methods during peaceful social and civil events that many consider a right. But let’s take a step back, what happened?

All European eyes on Budapest Pride:

In early 2025, the Hungarian parliament voted to ban Pride events in Budapest. As part of the same session, law enforcement was granted permission to use facial recognition software to identify and fine attendees.

On March 18, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s populist party passed a controversial law - 136 votes in favor, 27 against - criminalizing events deemed to violate Hungary’s Child Protection Act, including those seen as promoting homosexuality to minors under 18. To counter the event, as anticipated, the use of biometric checks by police forces was allowed as well, raising a series of questions about the legality and ethics of this decision across Europe.

The European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act), partially in force since February 2025, prohibits the use of real-time biometric identification in public spaces - except in cases of national security or high-risk situations. However, the regulation remains less restrictive when such technologies are used non-real-time or justified as necessary for public safety, quibbles that could hinder the imputation of any guilt by the Hungarian government. The issue is therefore extremely sensitive and is considered by many, civilians and associations for human and digital rights, a clear attack on the EU and civil rights themselves. Furthermore, this new threat is something that scares people since, being something new, many have doubts about how to protect themselves.

Upcomnig news:

Clothing is becoming a powerful tool in the fight for digital privacy. At Cap_able, we believe privacy is not just about data - it’s about freedom, agency, and dignity. Today, being seen is not always a choice: we are constantly observed, recorded, and profiled, often without consent.

That’s why we’ve spent years developing textile-based technologies that protect individuals from unwanted biometric recognition - without compromising on design or expression.

Now, we’re preparing to introduce something new: a more accessible, wearable, and democratic piece. A garment designed to empower as many people as possible, including during moments of collective visibility - like protests or public demonstrations.

It’s not just a product. It’s a statement.

Stay tuned.

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