On September 17, 2006, an audio recording surfaced from a closed-door MSZP meeting which was held on May 26, 2006, in which Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány made a speech, notable for its obscene language, including the following excerpt (censored version): There is not much choice.

The Prime Minister confirmed the authenticity of the recording and uploaded its transcript on his blog,[7] but remarked that "in a closed meeting a person speaks differently than in front of the cameras".

On September 18, as a consequence of the audio recording and the unwillingness of the Prime Minister or his party to resign, a demonstration was held near the Hungarian Parliament.

[9] The police deemed the demonstration legal, arguing that the rules applicable during the campaign period towards the upcoming municipal elections allow for such short-notice political meetings.

After 23:00, a smaller group of the demonstrators tried to get into the Magyar Televízió public television building at Szabadság Tér (Liberty Square) to announce their demands on air.

The riot police units which were intended to secure the building and the perimeter were ordered to disperse the crowd with tear gas and a water cannon.

[citation needed] The demonstrators managed to voice their demands, but since the television station had already ceased its transmission due to the riot, it was not aired live.

Later that night in other parts of the city, including the areas near the headquarters of MSZP and the HQ of the public radio station, violence broke out again.

As opposed to the first night's siege, the crowd did not attack or hinder fire brigade and paramedics, but on one (probably unique) occasion it was observed that a mobster repeatedly kicked another civilian already lying on the ground.

People held banners saying "Our homeland is not a 'whore country'", (A hazánk nem egy "kurva ország") referring to the Gyurcsány talk.

The demonstrators again went to the city hall, then to the MSZP office, where at the request of a university student, a speaker read the proclamation of the protest planned on September 21 against tuition fees (the introduction of which was one of the most controversial decisions of Gyurcsány's government).

In Szeged at 19:00, 500–600 people protested against Gyurcsány but, within a few minutes, there were already thousands of demonstrators marching from the city hall to Dóm tér (Cathedral Square).

This event was organised by the Hungarian Civic Party, took place in a park in the city centre, and featured the reading of a declaration of solidarity with the non-violent protesters in Budapest.

This time there were no serious attacks against policemen or vandalism, but the troops soon stormed over the protesters and pursued them on the Grand Boulevard towards Nyugati Square and neighbouring streets.

[17] Overall, this night was remarkably controlled by massive police presence and their rapid response, vandalism was mostly prevented and there were no reports of stone-throwing assault or arson.

"[19]) He also asked the demonstrators not to attack the MSZP's county headquarters in the city, stating that the building is Debrecen's property and the party is only renting it.

The main opposition party, Fidesz has cancelled its planned rally previously announced for September 23, due to warnings of a possible attack.

The Parliament-outsider right-wing Hungarian Justice and Life Party held its peaceful, speech-oriented rally under heavy police presence.

[21] The demonstrators took their usual route – first to City Hall Square, to the city hall and then to the Alliance of Free Democrats party's county office, where a high school teacher gave a speech comparing Gyurcsány's speech to "the opening of Pandora's box", then marched through Széchenyi Street towards MSZP's office, and later to Petőfi Square.

[29] Other associations and organisations (e.g. Új Magyarországért Egyesület, Védegylet) in their petitions given to the Civil Office of Parliament demanded starting a conventional assembly.

In response, Gyurcsány insisted in a speech he held in Szeged on September 15 [31] that the local elections would have no bearing on his party staying in power, and "those who don't want a war between the government and the city should know whom to vote for".

However, the polling firm Median opined that the scandal around Gyurcsány's lying had not affected the outcome of the elections as much as it was expected to, as support for MSZP had already hit an all-time low by early September.

[38] Events started at 02:00, when Chief of the Budapest Police Force Péter Gergényi decided – in opposition to previous agreements with demonstrators – to clear out Kossuth Square .

Some of them made anti-government signs in English and wanted to take part in the official celebration on Kossuth Square with them, but policemen prohibited it.

The police shot gas grenades and rubber bullets in at head-height and didn't sort peaceful celebrants from protesters and provocateurs.

[46] A detachment of policemen entered a bar on the Blaha Lujza Square, dragged out several customers on the street and subdued them violently, which included breaking the fingers of a handcuffed man, and shooting one in the back with a shot of rubber pellets point-blank.

[50] Even Parliamentarian Máriusz Révész was shot and beaten when he, showing his MP clearance in his hand, tried to protect their celebration from attacking police forces.

In Ferenciek Square and on a bridge over the Danube they built barricades from everything they found (including building operations materials, signposts, iron police cordon elements, cars and buses).

[55] On November 1, main opposition party Fidesz announced their plans to stage several large-scale demonstrations across Hungary on the anniversary of the Soviet suppression of the 1956 Revolution.

The events were intended to serve be a memorial to the victims of the Soviet invasion and a protest against police brutality during the October 23 unrest in Budapest.