Aug 30, 2007, 13:05 GMT
Budapest - Hungarian gay groups Thursday asked right-wing political parties to distance themselves from anti-gay organizations after a right-leaning radio station published a photo montage of a homosexual government official wearing a Nazi symbol used to label homosexual men.
Lanchid Radio published on its website Wednesday a picture of Gabor Szetey - a state secretary who came out last month - standing outside Auschwitz concentration camp wearing a pink triangle.
The picture was quickly removed and two staff editors fired, while the radio station apologized profusely.
Government ministers lined up to condemn the picture and Socialist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany said it was another example of growing extremist sentiment in Hungary.
One of the two editors fired, Gabriella Veress, was a local government representative for the main right-of-centre opposition party Fidesz. She immediately resigned from her post and the party.
'We ask right-wing parties to distance themselves from any organization that cites a time when homosexuals and other minorities suffered loathing, exclusion and death because of their gayness,' the statement signed by gay groups read.
The head of Fidesz's parliamentary caucus, Tibor Navracsics, said that the incident was disgusting but called on Socialist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany to stop using incidents such as this one to create a hysterical atmosphere in the country.
Following the publishing of the picture, Gyurcsany said that 'fascists are gathering' - a reference also to the recent formation of right-wing group the Magyar Garda (Hungarian Guard).
The creation of the Magyar Garda by the extreme-right party Jobbik has raised fears among the Jewish community both in Hungary and internationally.
Conscripts will carry out physical, mental and spiritual training to help maintain public order, preserve Hungarian culture and defend the nation in extraordinary situations, the guard's charter says.
Over 50 Magyar Garda members wore black uniforms and black caps during a swearing-in ceremony on Saturday. Mazsihisz (The Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities) has said that the uniforms were similar to those worn by the fascists in the 1940s.
The guard has chosen as its coat of arms a variation on the red-and-white Arpad Stripes, a medieval flag that became associated with Hungary's Nazi-aligned Arrow Cross party in power for a brief period during World War II.
Several Jewish organizations have asked Gyurcsany to act against the guard. Gyurcsany called the guard 'Hungary's shame' and asked Chief Prosecutor Tamas Kovacs to monitor the group.
However, Navracsics said that Gyurcsany should take appropriate action against criminal or unconstitutional activities rather than ratchet up the tension in public.
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SP4: Still better than a Minnesota airport!Aug 30th, 2007 - 20:14:45
Don't touch a guys foot there!
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