RFE/RL NEWSLINE 
Vol. 1, No. 152, 4 November 1997

HUNGARIAN POLICE DISPERSE ILLEGAL FARMERS' RALLY. Police
used tough measures to enforce a court ban on a demonstration
organized by the militant farmers' group METESZ, Hungarian media
reported on 3 November. The farmers were demonstrating against
foreign ownership of land and the low wholesale price of agricultural
goods. Angry scenes occurred when 400 policemen dispersed the 200
or so protesters. Up to 30 protesters were detained but released later
the same day. Agnes Nagy Maczo, the chairwoman of the METESZ
strike committee, was expelled from the Independent Smallholders'
parliamentary faction, in part for her involvement in the illegal rally.
She consequently loses her post as parliamentary deputy speaker.
msz

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