Radicals plan counter-demo to weekend pro-diversity March in Budapest

A private individual has registered with police a counter-demonstration against an anti-violence rally taking place on Saturday, police spokeswoman Eva Tafferner told MTI on Wednesday.

Anti-violence civil groups will march from Erzsebet ter (Elizabeth Square) to Hosok tere (Heroes' Square) to mark International Anti-Violence Day and Mahhatma Ghandi's birth anniversary with a demonstration against earlier violent incidents targeting minority groups such as gays and the Roma.

The National Roma Self-Government (OCO) has joined the initiative, along with up to a hundred civil groups. The organisers said they expect turnout in the hundred thousands on Saturday.

The anti-demonstration has marked Hosok tere as its starting point, and that group - likely to involve radical-right elements - will march down Andrassy boulevard in the opposite direction to reach the square in front of the Bazilika, Tafferner said.

Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany said he would sign the petition dubbed "Magyar Tarka" - a slogan which signifies diversity - and attend the march with his wife. Several civil groups have called on Gyurcsany to stay away from the event in order to keep its non-partisan nature.

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