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Hungarians riot over PM's lies
19/09/2006 10:05 - (SA)
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| A demonstrator throws a "Molotov-cocktail" as thousands storm the headquarters of the Hungarian State Television during a protest in Budapest. (Bela Szandelszky, AP) |
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Budapest - Protesters clashed with police and stormed the headquarters of state television early on Tuesday, after setting fire to several cars in an increasing violent response to a leaked recording of Hungary's prime minister admitting officials had lied about the economy.
Officials said about 150 people were injured in the violence, including 102 police officers, one of whom suffered serious head injuries and was described on state television as being in satisfactory condition after undergoing an operation to remove a bone splinter from his skull.
Several thousand police reinforcements were called to the capital from across the country.
TV building stormed
Police succeeded in retaking the TV building and driving out protesters only after 03:00, more than five hours after the incidents started.
Police were controlling access to the area around the TV building on Tuesday morning, which also includes the National Bank of Hungary and the US embassy.
Justice minister Jozsef Petretei, who also oversees the police force, submitted his resignation because of the outbreak of violence, but his offer was rejected by Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany.
Peaceful protest turned violent
The violence came after a mainly peaceful protest outside parliament attended by several thousand people began late on Sunday, when a recording made in May was leaked to local media in which Socialist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany admitted to repeatedly having lied to the country about the true state of the Hungarian economy to win April's elections.
Gyurcsany has not denied making the statements and said on Monday evening that he had no plans to resign. The Socialist members of parliament voted unanimously in support of the prime minister.
The government called for an emergency session of the national security cabinet for Tuesday morning.
'The street is not a solution'
Reacting to the rioting, Gyurcsany said taking to the streets would not solve any of the political problems.
"The street is not a solution, but instead causes conflict and crisis," the prime minister told state-run news wire MTI early on Tuesday. "Our job is to resolve the conflict and prevent a crisis."
Smaller protests against the government were also held in various cities around Hungary, but violence was minimal.
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