|
The Gárda is dead, Long live the Gárda |
|
Written by Robert Hodgson
|
|
Sunday, 12 July 2009 |
 The Hungarian extreme right party Jobbik announced the relaunch of its paramilitary wing, the Magyar Gárda (Hungarian Guard), at a mass rally in central Budapest last Saturday at which Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and public figures were among those who put on the black and white uniform in defiance of a court ruling outlawing the organisation.
At the signal from the "commander" of the group, Róbert Kiss, many in the crowd of several thousand pulled out and donned their Gárda caps and tunics, bearing the red and white Árpad flag insignia that has become associated with the far right in Hungary.
‘Protect those who live in fear’
Jobbik MEP Krisztína Morvai (pictured above, speaking) also put on the uniform before addressing the crowd. "The Guard is the force that will protect those who are scared and live in fear of crime," she said. Her soon-to-be colleague at Brussels, MEP Csanád Szegedi, said he would wear his Hungarian Guard uniform at the opening of the European Parliament in Brussels, adding that the authorities should "buy their airline tickets now if they want to stop him." He was referring to the breaking up by police of a Hungarian Guard demonstration in Budapest a week earlier, Szegedi said.
Jobbik leader Gábor Vona said he would wear his uniform when - as the party now expects - it enters the Hungarian parliament after the general elections which will be held in April at the latest. Vona claimed their is no reason to fear his Hungarian Guard, saying he was more afraid of private security firm In-Kal, often used at political events and for crowd control. Other things that scare Vona include campaigners for the legalisation of cannabis, acquisitive Israeli firms, and “traitors to the nation”, as he characterised the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) and the liberal Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ), whose votes empower the current caretaker government led by PM Gordon Bajnai. Vona also pledged to ban the German-owned TV channels RTL Klub and TV2 when Jobbik assume power.
Budapest chief of police Gabor Toth had ordered heightened surveillance in the centre of Budapest for 24 hours until midnight. Police announced shortly after noon that five people had been arrested in the run up to the rally. In the end, however, the Jobbik rally ended without any disorder or intervention by the police, who were keeping a low profile despite being out in large numbers across the city centre. An anti-fascist demo in the morning on Szabadság tér, the scene of Jobbik’s rally, attracted only one or two hundred.
Jobbik last month won three of Hungary’s 22 seats in the European Parliament, securing 15 per cent of the vote. The ultra-nationalist party is now presenting itself as the “third force” in politics.
Vona was among over 200 held by the police before being released without charge several hours later last Saturday after a demo against the banning of the Gárda. He says the outlawing of the Gárda and his arrest were politically motivated. On 2 July a court of appeal upheld a ruling from December that the organisation had used intimidation and violated the human rights of Roma villagers by holding a rally against “Gypsy crime” in 2007 in Tatárszentgyörgy.
 Add as favourites (45) | Views: 825
Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register. Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6
AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze - www.mamboportal.com
All right reserved |
