Hungarian police detain lawmaker who burned Israeli flag at protest

Balazs Lenhardt, formerly of the right-wing Jobbik party, released after questioning

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — A Hungarian lawmaker who burned an Israeli flag at an anti-Zionist protest has been briefly detained by police for disturbing the peace.

Budapest police said Balazs Lenhardt, an independent lawmaker formerly a member of the far-right Jobbik party, was released after being questioned Friday night.

The flag burning incident took place at a rally outside the Foreign Ministry attended by around 100 people. The ministry condemned the protest, during which participants also shouted anti-Semitic slogans.

Lenhardt left Jobbik’s parliamentary faction in November, saying the party had lost its radical character since entering the legislature in 2010. He later was expelled from the party.

Two weeks ago, a Jobbik lawmaker called for Hungarian Jews to be screened for national security risks.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

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