Hungary police battle protesters

Protesters threw petrol bombs at police in running battles

Hungarian police have used tear gas and water cannon to disperse hundreds of violent far-right protesters in the capital Budapest.

The clashes on Monday night came ahead of the 51st anniversary of the Hungarian anti-Soviet uprising. The city saw similar violence a year ago.

The violence erupted when riot police blocked far-right protesters who were trying to march on the Opera House.

Socialist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany was giving a speech there.

Several people were injured by projectiles thrown by the demonstrators, including a photographer from the Reuters news agency.

The demonstrators' plan to march on the Opera House had already been banned by the police, but several hundred set out anyway.

The marchers hurled petrol bombs and beer bottles at the police, who responded with tear gas and water cannon.

In his speech, Mr Gyurcsany said democracy was not under threat from what he called a couple of hundred "rowdies".

Exactly one year ago, a campaign of street protests to remove him from office culminated in a day of violence, in which hundreds of protesters and policemen were injured.

After serious domestic and international criticism of their tactics last year, police chiefs promised that no rubber bullets would be used to disperse demonstrations, if trouble erupted during this year's anniversary.

More rallies to commemorate the 1956 revolution will be held on Tuesday.