BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungarian police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at thousands of anti-government protesters on Monday, marring commemorations of the 50th anniversary of the 1956 uprising against Soviet rule.

Police also used water cannon and some protesters lobbed stones and other missiles at them. The ambulance service said 40 people had been injured although there were no life-threatening injuries. A policeman was stabbed in the hand.

Protesters took to the streets more than a month ago following the admission by Socialist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany in a leaked speech that he lied about the economy to win national elections in April.