A NEW anti-LGBT law banning Pride events and allowing authorities to use facial recognition software to identify those attending the festivities was passed in Hungary on Tuesday.

The move led to a large demonstration on the streets of Budapest.

Several thousand protesters gathered after the vote outside Hungary’s parliament. They later staged a blockade of the Margaret Bridge over the Danube, blocking traffic and disregarding police instructions to disperse.

The law makes it an offence to hold or attend events that violate Hungary’s contentious “child protection” legislation, which prohibits the “depiction or promotion” of homosexuality to minors under 18.

Attending a prohibited event will carry fines up to 200,000 Hungarian forints (around £422). Authorities will be allowed to use facial recognition tools to identify individuals attending a prohibited event.

The move by Hungarian lawmakers is part of a crackdown on the country’s LGBT community by the right-wing Viktor Orban government.

The law, supported by Mr Orban’s Fidesz party and their minority coalition partner the Christian Democrats, was pushed through parliament in an accelerated procedure after being submitted on Monday.

Opposing legislators led a vivid protest in the legislature involving rainbow-coloured smoke bombs.

At the protest outside parliament, Evgeny Belyakov, a Russian citizen who emigrated to Hungary after facing repression in Russia, said the legislation struck at the heart of people’s rights to peacefully assemble.

“It’s quite terrifying to be honest, because we had the same in Russia. It was building up step by step, and I feel like this is what is going on here.

“I just only hope that there will be more resistance like this in Hungary, because in Russia we didn’t resist on time and now it’s too late.”

Following the law’s passage Budapest Pride spokesperson Jojo Majercsik said despite Mr Orban’s efforts to stigmatise LGBT people “many, many people have been mobilised” to resist the new law.