"Some 3-5,000 people took part in the Tarka Magyar demonstration to protest against discrimination and violence on Saturday afternoon. Organisers had anticipated that 100,000 people would turn out.The leaders of all parliamentary parties expressed support for the initiative. President László Sólyom issued an open letter of support on Saturday.
The crowd marched peacefully from Erzsébet tér along Andrássy út to Heroes Square. A group brandishing the Árpád flags associated with the radical right appeared but left after organisers asked them to seek other fun elsewhere.
Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány and his family – flanked by security people and photographers – joined the crowd at a stage set up on Heroes Square, but did not make a speech. Other Free Democrat and Socialist politicians and public figures, such as economist Tamás Bauer, MP Mátyás Eörsi, philosopher Ágnes Heller, writer György Konrád and MEP Katalin Lévai, as well as leaders of the National Gypsy Authority, were seen milling in the crowd, Népszabadság reports.
Kriszta Bódis, the only speaker, spoke about why action independent of political parties is needed against all forms of discrimination. Bódis then blamed politicians for allowing divisions to degenerate into violence in Hungary.
The streets along Andrássy út had been sealed off with metal fences by police. Trucks and buses for emergency police stood by on Erzsébet körút and in the City Park along with water cannons procured from Israel, Magyar Hírlap reports.
Kati Rácz and the Flush group gave a concert at Heroes Square. Thousands of people unfurled scarves and shawls to mark the end of the rally."
Source: Hungary Around the Clock.
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06.10.2008