Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of the Hungarian capital last night to protest against government plans to tax internet use from next year.
Protesters believe Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government is undermining democracy and relations with the European Union.
It was by far the largest protest since his centre-right government took power in 2010 and pursued moves to redefine many walks of life.
The government has been accused of creeping authoritarianism, although it was re-elected by a landslide this year.
The government has imposed special taxes on the banking, retail, energy and telecommunications sectors to keep the budget deficit in check, jeopardising profits in some parts of the economy and unnerving international investors.
The internet data levy idea was first floated in the 2015 tax code submitted to parliament last week, triggering objections from internet service providers and users who felt it was anti-democratic.
The crowd, which was organised by a Facebook-based social network, marched through central Budapest demanding the repeal of the planned tax and Mr Orban's resignation.
Many protesters held up makeshift signs that read "ERROR!" and "How many times do you want to skin us?"
The government has denied any anti-democratic agenda, saying it aimed only to get all economic sectors to share the tax burden and was tapping into a trend of telecommunications shifting away from already-taxed telephony and text messages.
The European Commission also criticised the proposed tax.
