Right wing extremists turned a gay
pride parade in Budapest, Hungary violent as they threw explosive
devices, eggs, cobblestones and bottles at police and marchers
Saturday, reports the Reuters news service.
Riot police used water cannons and tear
gas to break-up the demonstrators. Forty five people were detained
and 10 people were hurt by the violence.
Parade organizers had warned
participants of the possibility of violence – advising people wear
a helmet or carry a large umbrella.
Several prominent politicians were
targeted by extremists. They slammed a stone through the window of
the police car carrying Socialist European parliament member and
human rights activist Katalin Levai and former undersecretary Gabor
Szetey – the first openly gay Hungarian politician. Neither was
seriously hurt.
“This is outrageous and shameful that
some 20 years after the change of regime, this is what we have...
such intolerance,” Levai told Reuters.
Homosexuality was decriminalized in
eastern Europe after the collapse of communism. Hungary is set to
recognize same-sex domestic partnerships in January.