'Hungarian Revolution Anniversary' In Budapest, 15 March 2009

On 15th March Hungarians commemorate the Revolution and the following War of Independence against the Austrian-Habsburg rule in 1848-49, and so this is one of the most prominent National Holidays in Hungary.

This year there were limited demonstrations and little trouble on the streets, Police did use tear gas outside the Basilica to disperse about 300 demonstrators, in total around 35 arrests were made. Hungarian radicals were present at the swearing-in ceremony of the extreme-right "Magyar Garda" (Hungarian guard), apparently they gained 650 new members, there's no qustion that radical group is growing.

There could have been good reason to believe that last year's disturbances might have been repeated, and the police were well prepared and there was not even any egg throwing because recently a judge decided throwing eggs is not a legitimate expression of free speech. Also there were no rocks thrown at the police, or cars burned this year.

Pictures by Tuba Zoltán [origo] and Hajdú D. András [origo]