Protestors and police clash in Hungary (Extra)

Mar 15, 2007, 19:55 GMT

Budapest - Hungarian police clashed with several hundred right-wing protestors on Thursday evening after a day of larger-scale and peaceful protests.

A crowd of youths gathered on a downtown street demanding the release of Gyorgy Budahazy, who has been arrested for his role in last September's anti-government riots.

Police fired tear gas to disperse the rock-throwing youths, who attempted to build a barricade to halt the police advance.

The clashes were the first of a largely peacefully day's commemoration of the 1848 revolt against Habsburg rule.

Main opposition party Fidesz saw around 100,000 attend its rally, which passed off peacefully despite earlier government warnings that the day could erupt in violence.

Thousands of right-wing protestors earlier in the day disrupted official ceremonies by shouting, whistling and throwing eggs.

Many had expected a repeat of the large-scale violence that broke out last September after a tape on which Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany admitted lying to the nation was leaked to the press.