Pixelshot

by: Scott L. Lunt
Budapest, Hungary
(published in: The Daily Universe, Oct, 27, 2006, Provo, UT, USA)

You know you’re in a strange place when you can smell tear gas from your front porch.

Yet, in Budapest, on October 23rd, 2006, that’s exactly the situation for me.

Today, a holiday commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian revolution, the streets of Budapest have turned violent again. Thousands of citizens, mostly young men, are on the streets of Budapest doing their best to keep the thousands of police from making them go home. The police, for their part, are equipped with tear gas, water cannons, and riot gear. In other words, the situation is tense. And, for some reason, the police feel the need to push the protesters out of the streets.

Of course, underlying all of these protests are the events from 1956. (more…)

On Oct 25th, 1956 the gathering in parliament turned into a bloody conflict with more than 50 people killed.

The radio station in Pest was the scene of the first violence in 1956 Budapest. I’m on the scene, 50 years later, although I’m not able to get too close.

Exactly 50 years later, things get ugly on the streets of Budapest. Tear gas, rubber bullets, running, water cannons–everything you’d expect from a riot - including makeshift wooden barricades!

Exactly 50 years later. The static in Budapest started at the Technical University on the Buda side of the Danube.

Things get ugly. Water canons, rubber bullets. Two injuries that I saw myself. At one point, a tank which was on display was started by the protesters and driven into the streets toward the police. (Photos by Scott Lunt, October 2006)

This morning we tried to go to parliament but got pushed back to our school by hundreds of riot cops. (Photos by Scott Lunt, October 2006)

Budapest, Hungary. Lies of Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsani are leaked to the public, spawning riots in the streets in September, 2006. These photos are of the following protests in Parliament Square, a week after the riots. (Photos by Scott Lunt)

by: Scott L. Lunt
Budapest, Hungary
(published in the Daily Universe, Provo, UT, USA, Oct 2, 2006)
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Lying politicians, economic struggles, frustrated citizens, tents, bread lines, riot gear, burned out police cars, and… a popcorn stand? Wait a second, there’s a protest on!

Yet, amidst the spectacle of it all, the popcorn fits.

First of all, it’s capitalism at its finest. Your head of state, Ferenc Gyurcsany, the newly re-elected Prime Minister of Hungary, lies to get re-elected, then gets busted bragging about it. The citizens, incensed, throw a riot, burning up a few cars and storming a TV station. Later, once the smoke clears, the injured are counted and the reports make CNN headlines. Then tens of thousands come in from around the city and country to voice their concerns in Parliament Square. Someone’s got to be there to make a forint or two. Protesters need popcorn. (more…)

The nights are cooling down here, but the atmosphere is much warmer. The protests still continue, although they are much smaller than last Saturday. I’ve put up some photos on Flickr. Here’s the link:

Budapest Protests