Something amazing happened in Germany last night. Postponed from taking place last year, Euro 2020, one of the world’s biggest soccer tournaments, is currently taking place across stadiums on the continent. Like the Olympics, the organizers are keen to push the event as a non-political, neutral celebration of sport.
Related: Carl Nassib now has the top-selling jersey in the NFL
However, a row this week over rainbows and LGBTQ rights culminated in a particularly tense match last night between the national teams for Germany and Hungary. Here’s a simple breakdown of what went on.
1. Hungary passed an anti-gay propaganda law last week, which has been slammed by other European countries for being homophobic and transphobic.
2. In the wake of the law being passed, the Mayor of Munich suggested the city’s Allianz Arena be lit in rainbow colors last night. The stadium was hosting a crucial Euro 2020 clash between Germany and Hungary.
3. UEFA, the sporting body in charge of European football, said no to the suggestion, pointing to the “political context” of the request.
4. Instead, as controversy grew over UEFA’s decision, other stadiums in Germany (not hosting Euro matches) said they would instead light themselves in rainbow colors. This included the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. The gesture extended beyond Germany. The Ghelamco Arena in Ghent, Belgium, also turned rainbow.
UEFA prohibited Munich from lighting up the Allianz Arena in rainbow colors for Germany’s match vs. Hungary today.
So stadiums across Germany lit up 🌈 pic.twitter.com/n4ULhgVqkr
— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 23, 2021
5. Hungary’s ultra-conservative Prime Minister, Victor Orbán, was due to attend last night’s game in person. As the row escalated, Orbán canceled his trip. Although there was no official comment from the Hungarian soccer team, goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi spoke out recently in support of tolerance for “rainbow families.”
6. Yesterday, hours before the match, UEFA, in an effort not to be seen as the bad guy, changed its logo on social media to rainbow colors, saying it respected the rainbow and did not see the rainbow itself as political, but that the request to light the stadium for the match against Hungary as political. This tone-deaf defense prompted eye-rolls across social media.
— UEFA (@UEFA) June 23, 2021
“It is our core value” [one paragraph later] “we abandoned it upon polite request from homophobes”
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) June 23, 2021
7. As fans turned up at the stadium in Munich, many waved rainbow flags, in defiance of the stadium not being lit in rainbow colors.
No rainbow lights? No problem!
Local LGBT rights activists are equipping matchgoers with 11,000 rainbow flags outside Munich’s Allianz Arena in response to UEFA’s refusal to illuminate the stadium in LGBT flag colors for Germany’s game against Hungary.
#GERHUN #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/O0beyPwwRq— DW Sports (@dw_sports) June 23, 2021
8. Ahead of kick-off, as the teams lined up to listen to their national anthems, a protestor stormed the pitch waving a rainbow flag. They were wrestled down and then led away by security.
Oh wow! One spectator just ran on with a rainbow flag during the Hungarian national anthem. Loud cheers from the Germany block pic.twitter.com/EDJzdV0tbx
— Archie Rhind-Tutt (@archiert1) June 23, 2021
Tonight’s pic : A protestor holding a Rainbow Flag runs onto the pitch in front of the Hungarian team before its Euro 2020 group F match with Germany in Munich, Germany, June 23, 2021. #UefaEuro2021 #uefarainbow pic.twitter.com/bAHRWyWOgE
— Damien Lorenzi ☀️🚴♂️ (@JUSTBYLORENZI) June 23, 2021
9. Hungary took the lead in the match and appeared likely to advance the next round of the tournament. However, in the final minutes, Germany equalized. The end result was a 2-2 draw. Due to points difference from earlier matches in the tournament, this meant a heartbroken Hungarian team crashed out of the championship and are now heading home.
Related: Pro soccer player comes out as gay by introducing his boyfriend on Instagram
Of course, although that’s the end of Hungary’s Euro 2020 run, it’s not the end for its controversial new legislation.
The new law prohibits any “promotion” of same-sex relationships or gender reassignment to those under 18. Hungary’s teachers and TV channels are trying to work out how this draconian legislation might impact them. Broadcasters have already warned they may not be able to air shows like Modern Family, certain episodes of Friends or some of the Harry Potter movies.
Seventeen other European countries have denounced the law, writing a joint statement on Tuesday saying, “The new Hungarian legislation undermines the fundamental values of the Europe we stand for.”
Cam
The same B.S. the religious right pushes here, that civil rights for people is a “Political Opinion”. Glad that Germans stomped on that organization for bowing to homophobes.
Invader7
BOYCOTT Hungary & all other anti-gay countries.. Hit ’em in the wallet.. $$$ ( or lack there of ) talks & BS walks !!!
Fahd
The EU parliament is going to discuss the shameful Hungarian law – things have changed somewhat since the fights over distributing Covid aid money – now the EU can withhold funds from countries if they do not comply with the European values that they committed to uphold when they joined the EU (e.g. Hungary).
There are many Hungarians that are appalled that Victor Orban, who was originally elected as leader of a liberal democratic young people’s party. has morphed into an authoritarian strongman who has a stranglehold on the country and people. His party has an absolute majority and dissent is punished by every available means. Free speech, gone. Hungary is an example where the majority have voted for a repressive government — the majority are willing to give up their civil rights in exchange for keeping them safe from uncomfortable change – immigrants, etc. Very sad.
Very many Hungarians among those who haven’t yet left Hungary wish the “free world” would do more to brake and reverse Orban’s repressive regime.
Good news: especially if the Dutch prime minister has anything to say about it, Orban will find his next check from the EU a little short. The U.S. should put more pressure on them too.
I always remember that just like many Americans hate(d) Trump, many Hungarians hate Orban. Thank God Americans have been able to hold on to free speech.
Leash
“now the EU can withhold funds from countries if they do not comply with the European values”
afaik that is not the case, yet, Hungary (and Poland) have threatened not to agree to the new EU budget (which must be passed unanimously) and have achieved that this new “rule of law”-mechanism will not applied until the EU Court of Justice has ruled on their complaint against it.
But I still have hopes for the EU! The vast majority of the EU Parlament voted to sue the EU Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen before the European Court of Justice for inaction, because according to the Parlement – the Commission refuses to take action against the proceeding dismantling of the rule of law in Hungary and Poland.
Now even Mrs. von der Leyen seems to move, calling the hungarian law “shameful” and announced decisive action against it, with the backup of 16 EU member states.
Hungary is the second-largest net recipient within the European Union after Poland btw atm, so if the EU actually can cut their funds, this might actually hurt.
TheAbsoluteTRUTH
We’ve been able to hold onto free speech in America….lol….try that on Facebook or Twitter and get back to us after you get released from the zuckerberg free speech penitentiary
Fahd
@A..T…
A discussion of Trump’s friend, Orban, having eliminated the free press in Hungary… of course the troll working out of the stuffy warehouse in the provincial Russian capital pops up..
To compare Trump’s rightful ban from social media to the absence of a free press in Hungary is misleading and offensive to the Hungarian people.
Private businesses have a right to ban individuals that don’t comply with their terms of services by for example promoting violent overthrow of the government. If you don’t like what’s available why don’t you and the cheethoh jesus start your own platform. You can in the US.
And, btw, you’re still the ever present troll on Queerty, loser! They haven’t banned you.
Thank God for the Washington Post and the New York Times.
Kangol2
Just a reminder that Don the Con and the GOP strongly support Prime Minister Viktor Orban–Don the Con eagerly hosted and praised him at the White House–and his authoritarian right-wing party Fidesz. Hungary provides one of the chief models (Poland and Russia provide others) of subverting and Trojan Horsing “democracy” that Don the Con and many in the GOP, especially at the state level, would like to follow. They are currently passing a range of voting restriction laws to limit voting because they realize they cannot win if as many people vote as possible.
Don the Con spent nearly his entire “presidency” without reaching 50% approval. A record number of people, 81 million Americans–and this was with ongoing voter suppression–voted to oust him last November.
Let’s also not forget that Orban’s party, after a term in 1998-2002, lost the election to the Socialists, then, once they regained power, in a coalition with the Christian Democratic Party in 2010 that gave Orban’s party a supermajority, essentially captured the entire national governmental apparatus, from the legislature to the courts, as well as civil society, with homophobia as a key element in that takeover. As Fahd noted, they quash opposition and dissent while nevertheless using the rhetoric of democracy and freedom.
The EU, especially Germany, which the largest and richest EU country, does have considerable power to wield, and should do everything in its power to keep Hungary and Orban in check. The US needs to do so as well.
cc423
Brilliantly put!
519
The problem is that Germany will never do anything serious agains Hungary as they need the cheap workforce we provide. A lot of German car manufacturers have factories here. And also, to take significant measures against Hungary a unanimous vote from the other member states would be necessary and Poland would never vote against us. So basically Orbán can do whatever the hell he wants.
Fahd
@519 Don’t despair…the EU will not tolerate Orban going all Putin indefinitely. Things just seem to be getting worse and worse. Not too long ago the Hungarian Opera was going to do a production of Billy Elliot and now this law… that was fast. The Dutch prime minister has a lot of influence and he hasn’t hidden his contempt for Orban. This new EU rule of law provision does not require unanimous vote @also, as I understand it.
The Germans and the EU will do something – the idea that the cheap Hungarian worker is what keeps Germany from doing something is I think propaganda from the Hungarian leadership to diminish hope among the part of the Hungarian population that hope Germany will act. As a small population country, there aren’t that many Hungarian workers in the first place and the German auto manufacturers have factories all over Europe. I’m not going to mention the language problem. They can put their factories elsewhere, but they won’t for the sake of the Hungarian economy. There will be consequences for the leadership of a country that discriminates as a matter of law and does not adhere to European Union values – don’t forget the issues about the judiciary. I feel sure a change is coming.
Let us hope and pray that Hungary is delivered from this evil sooner than later.
Btw, it’s disgusting that Orban is going around the EU summit that is happening right now pretending that the fuss is all a big misunderstanding (on everyone else’s part) and let him just explain it to you..
519
@Fahd That’s what he always does. He says the exact opposite to EU officials and ministers of what he says and does here at home. And it’s furiating because everybody knows that he is lying, except for his supporters who would even believe him if he said that the sky is green and the grass is blue. And if anyone dares to criticise him he can immediately play the “big band EU is attacking Hungary, but I’m protecting hour honour” card to impress his supporters.
The reason why a lot of Hungarians in the opposition doesn’t really believe that Germany or the EU would do anything is because he has been doing this for over a decade and still nothing has happened. He vetoes everything he doesn’t like and he continously forces the EU to let him have almost everything his way.
Bottom line is, I’m really pessimistic after 12 years of this nightmare, but I hope you are right and change is coming. But I’m seriously considering leaving the country if he wins next year’s election as well (which he probably will). I’d rather watch from afar as FideSS continues to steal everything, ruin the country, and chip away LGBTQ rights. Apparently half of the country is fine with it…
Fahd
@519
I can really understand your pessimism – the 2022 election is soon, Fidez will probably win. They control everything. Most Hungarians speak only Hungarian. If there’s no criticism from within, they only get one message. It is a disgrace that the U.S., Germany and other EU countries have tolerated Orban and Fidez over the years taking away civil liberties and silencing dissent and transforming Hungary into the repressive regime it has become. Still, I have hope when I hear how angry and upset the other European leaders are when they discuss Orban and what is going on in Hungary. I really think they are tired of sending Orban and his friends money to do with as they wish. It is taking forever, but I believe EU leaders are putting the mechanisms in place to pressure Orban to change. It has definitely taken too long for them to start to act, but I think now they won’t stop until change happens.
Let us hope and pray that they can free Hungary from this evil.
Please don’t despair, but whether you decide to stay or go, I wish you the best!
DavidCostaud
I agree with all of the statements.
I do have a question- why would Harry Potter movies be banned?
I guess I missed something
519
The new law would prohibit showing anything on TV that has homosexuality in it before 10 PM (basically these movies and TV shows should be rated R, regardless what they are about). TV channels were protesting against this by saying that that would apply to some of the Harry Potter movies as well as Dumbledore is gay. But they probably haven’t seen the movies or they would know that his sexuality is not addressed at all in them. They are just using a false arguement to rally people against the law.
JRamonMc
There is one thing I would agree with but it’s just from a medical perspective. Gender reassignment surgery should wait until after a person’s 18th birthday. Only from the aspect that the body is still growing and maturing.
DesmondAJS
As a French person, I am disgusted that a country in the European Union faces passing this kind of law. Under the pretext of removing LGBT images from children’s vision, it is to protect them from pedophilia. WHAT!!! It gives a more precise idea of the intellect of the Hungarian president.
Initially, there are ONLY 13 countries including France which are against this law, then joined by others to make 17! But in the union, we are twenty-seven countries, why there are not twenty-six countries against??? Parliament was very clear on this, to make Hungary bend, there are only two levers. These two levers have no power!!! The biggest risk for Hungary from the European Parliament: 1 “it’s not good” 2 “light slap on the fingers or big eyes!”.
It disgusts me. If Hungary passes this law. I’m sorry, I no longer believe in Europe!!! Not even screwed up to defend common rights!!!
519
It’s been already passed and signed by President János Áder two days ago, so it’s basically a done deal. We are just waiting for more specific details to be released in a decree or something.
Celtic
Poland, the Land of the Oppressors. Ruled by the Polish Catholic Church. Need I say more?
whateverokok
Why is that? Here we go again blaming religion for all our woes. It’s not the religion doing this (It can’t by the way seeing as it is inanimate), it’s the people behind the religion. People are to blame. And that’s not going to change. There will always be those that are small minded. It’s not about the fact that there are small minded people, it’s about how many small minded people there. The numbers will decrease, but they will never be 0%. Good luck on that. If we can accept that there will always be a small number, then we can live a happy and productive life.
Cam
Scratch the city of Budapest off of any travel itineraries, same with Poland.