Organisers hoped the "Tarka Magyar", of ‘Diverse Hungarian’ event would be the “biggest non-partisan demonstration since the fall of communism,” but turn-out fell far short of the expected 100,000 people. Activists had been threatened by extremists, but it was unclear whether that was the main reason for the relative small crowd gathering Saturday, October 4.

The demonstration came after several, often violent, far right demonstrations against Hungary’s largest minority, the Roma, or Gypsies, Jewish people, foreigners and homosexuals.

In one of the latest incidents, far right groups attempted to lay shoes near the last remaining monument for Soviet Union soldiers who died during World War Two to remember "the victims of Gypsy and Communist crime."    

MEMORIAL

The shoe action was a ‘parody’ on a memorial near the Danube river for hundreds of Jews killed their by Hungarian fascists in the closing stages of the Second World War. There has been international concerns about the increasingly vocal far right groups following the establishment of a Magyar Garda, or ‘Hungarian Guard’, whose members wear uniforms resembling the Nazi-era when some 600,000 Hungarian Jews were killed.

Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany and his wife also participated in the rally, which was held amid a heavy police presence. Organizers pleaded to police not to erect metal fences around the route, saying they wanted reconciliation and a dialogue with spectators.

Far right activists planned a counter-demonstration near a Reformed church in the Hungarian capital.     

At least 86 independent organizations, including Amnesty International and numerous Roma, gay, women’s and childrens’ rights groups, participated in the event, organizers said.

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