HUNGARY: Student leaders have cancelled a major anti-government rally in Budapest today amid fears of unrest after prime minister Ferenc Gyurcsany ordered a police crackdown on violent protests that he blamed on nationalist radicals.
The march was scrapped amid warnings that far-right groups could incite clashes with police when thousands of students massed outside the heavily guarded parliament, dealing a blow to protesters who hoped the rally would increase pressure on Mr Gyurcsany to resign.
"It is not certain the demonstration could be held under peaceful circumstances," said student leader Gergely Ekler after Mr Gyurcsany told police to prevent any repeat of two nights of violence that injured almost 300 people and left parts of central Budapest strewn with burnt-out cars, shattered glass and empty tear-gas canisters.
"We'll have no patience with them," the Socialist leader said of the rioters. "The policy of raw emotions and radicalism are in no way a viable path."
The cancellation of the march was seen as a tactical victory for Mr Gyurcsany, after he released a joint statement with Hungary's president urging "organisers of every mass event to consider their own ability, as well as that of the police, to guarantee security and make sure participants do not cross the line of legality".
In the early hours of yesterday more than 50 people were injured and 100 were arrested when police clashed with several hundred rioters.
Police wielding batons and on horseback charged small groups of mostly young men who broke away from a peaceful, 10,000-strong rally outside parliament to march towards Socialist party headquarters and Budapest's iconic 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, which eventually gained control 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 police spokesman Peter Schon. "We are preparing for tonight in exactly the same way as yesterday. We are ready for any eventuality."
Widespread discontent at cutbacks and higher taxes flared into street protests on Sunday when Mr Gyurcsany, a communist youth member turned tycoon, admitted lying "day and night" about the economy to win a second term in office in April. But he insists he will remain in office to clean up Hungarian politics and push through painful reforms needed to cut the biggest budget deficit in the European Union.
After Mr Gyurcsany blamed "radicals" for storming the state TV building on Monday night and rampaging through the capital late on Tuesday, Budapest mayor Gabor Demszky called the rioters "criminals" and demanded they be "pushed off the streets".
"I won't be calm," he fumed. "These extremist elements continue to wreak havoc in our city." The main Fidesz opposition party, which has flirted with Hungary's nationalist elements, tried to distance itself from the violence, insisting Mr Gyurcsany should step down quietly if his Socialist party loses local elections on October 1st.
But the prime minister continued his counter-offensive by implying Fidesz failed to honour a joint declaration condemning violence.
"I am afraid that those political parties which could have stopped this and called the people back . . . failed to take the steps that we had discussed in parliament," said Mr Gyurcsany, whom Fidesz leader Viktor Orban called a "sick, lying dilettante".
Mr Orban denounced the violence but fears Fidesz will be tarnished by association with the far-right flags and slogans brandished by some of the rioters.
Hungary's deputy police chief said most of the rioters were "young and a large portion of them are known football hooligans".