Militants force Hungarian television to shut down

Deutsche Presse Agentur
Published: Monday September 18, 2006

Budapest- Militant government opponents forced the state- owned Hungarian television to shut down broadcasts on its two public channels early Tuesday after muscling their way into its headquarters building and setting part of it on fire. In clashes described as the country's most violent in decades, angry government protestors lobbed rocks and torches at the headquarters of public television and set vehicles on fire.

At least 50 people were hurt, including three with major injuries, rescue officials said.

The violent attacks, aimed at forcing the socialist-liberal government to resign, were carried out by several hundred right-wing extremists and football hooligans who have been holding the headquarters since Monday evening. They set fire to a half dozen vehicles, including a police water cannon, and damaged a monument to Soviet soldiers who died in Hungary during World War II.

The stations started broadcasting a test image shortly after the building's doors were breached, about 1 am.

The protestors are demanding the resignation of socialist-liberal Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany, who triggered outrage with his leaked taped remarks that his party had lied before April general elections.

Earlier in the evening, about 10 pm Monday, police repelled the first storm of attacks with water cannons and tear gas, but later stepped back, with only sporadic attempts to control the crowd. Firefighters could not reach the flames due to lack of crowd control.

The group that attacked spun off from the thousands-strong throng demonstrating at the nearby parliament since Sunday evening against Gyurcsany's government.

Gyurcsany triggered public outrage with his remarks, peppered liberally with swear words, that admitted his party lied before the April general elections. The recorded speech was made in May at a meeting of his Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) and was posted on Hungarian Radio's website on Sunday.

"Obviously we have lied over the last ... two years. It is clear that what we were saying was not true," Gyurcsany said in the speech.

"We haven't done anything for the last four years. I can't mention a single political step we can be proud of apart from finally pulling the government out of the shit," he added.

In remarks broadcast on the private television TV 2, Gyurcsany declared that the political problems could not be solved in street fighting.

"The street is only making the problems worse," he said. He explained the passivity of the police by saying they did not have enough backup as the threat escalated.

The spokesman for the right-wing conservative Young Democrats Union (FIDESZ), Peter Szijjarto, indirectly defended the violent protestors.

"The people are extremely desperate and bitter after they realized that the government lied in order to keep its hand on power," he told reporters.

The socialist parliamentary leader, Ildiko Lendvai, called for all parties to call home their supporters who were causing trouble out on the street.

© 2006 DPA - Deutsche Presse-Agenteur