Guardian
More than 50 people were injured and 100 arrested during a second night of violence in Budapest, when police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse rioters demanding the resignation of the Socialist prime minister, Ferenc Gyurcsany.Police on horseback wielding batons charged small groups of mostly young men who broke away from a peaceful, 10,000-strong rally outside parliament to march towards the Socialist party headquarters and Budapest's radio station, which was besieged during Hungary's failed uprising against Soviet rule 50 years ago.
Rioters smashed the windows of shops and a passing bus, set alight a police car and hurled rocks and cobblestones at the advancing security forces, who eventually gained the upper hand at about 5am, after more than three hours of sporadic clashes.
"By the early hours of the morning we managed to finally end the violence and looting," said a police spokesman. "We are preparing for tonight in exactly the same way as yesterday. We are ready for any eventuality."
Widespread anger at tax rises and new fees for university tuition and health care flared into street protests when Mr Gyurcsany admitted that his government had repeatedly lied about the dire state of the economy to win re-election in April.
He insists his expletive-strewn admission, made in a leaked tape recording of a closed party meeting, proves his determination to push through unpopular reforms and slash the biggest budget deficit in the European Union.
The right-wing Fidesz opposition party has urged the prime minister to resign if the Socialists lose local elections on October 1, but Mr Gyurcsany, a former communist youth member and millionaire businessman, has vowed to remain in office.
He denounced a raid on Monday night by rioters on the headquarters of state TV in central Budapest as Hungary's "longest, darkest night" since the fall of communism, and told police to crack down on violence. His party has given him full support.
Hundreds of people gathered again this morning outside parliament by the river Danube, and predicted another major demonstration this evening and tomorrow, when students plan to march through Budapest to protest at university tuition fees.
Though millions of Hungarians are unhappy with Mr Gyurcsany's admission of lying and his cutbacks and tax rises, many also fear the anti-government protests could be hijacked by hard-line nationalists who have been prominent during two nights of trouble.
"Their demands were a joke - something like: Gyurcsany out, new elections, glory to Greater Hungary and promotion for their favourite football club," said Attila Kert, a senior producer who confronted the rioters who stormed TV headquarters on Monday night. "They were a drunken, disorganised mess - nothing but a set of hooligans."