Red Cross Evacuates Roma Over Far-Right Fears In Hungary

The Hungarian Red Cross has evacuated hundreds of Roma from a village as a far-right group moved in to begin a weekend of paramilitary training nearby.

The Red Cross action was unannounced, and came in response to the latest activities by far-right activists in the remote Hungarian town of Gyongyospata.

After the evacuation, the organization said in a statement that "This is the first time the Hungarian Red Cross has organized the evacuation of Hungarian civilians threatened by paramilitary activities since the Second World War."

Ultranationalist paramilitary vigilante groups have been active in several Hungarian towns in recent weeks, patrolling areas inhabited by ethnic Roma, prompting rights groups to demanded government action.

compiled from agency reports