Some 600 new members were inaugurated into the far-right group Magyar Gárda at Heroes Square on Saturday, with its overall membership now totalling more than one thousand.

Magyar Gárda members and other extremists kicked, scolded and spat on a small group of youngsters who broke through a police cordon to protest against the Gárda armed with brushes, vacuum cleaners and air fresheners, in an attempt to "clean the square of Nazi beliefs." The group managed to escape, however, and ran to the Museum of Fine Arts to get protection from police.

Antall-era defence minister Lajos Für called on the Gárda to clean out Hungary "as it has become a den of thieves."

Self-styled commander in chief István Dósa harangued "the lackey media," specifically naming liberal daily Népszabadság and the right-wing HírTV as among them.

Slovak Foreign Minister Jan Kubis on Sunday released a statement from Bratislava protesting the inauguration of the new Magyar Gárda members.