Budapest - Hungarian police on Thursday announced a ban on a planned march and concert in the Hungarian capital by a neo-fascist group to commemorate the death of Adolf Hitler's deputy Rudolf Hess.

News of the planned parade was greeted with outrage on Monday, when Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai called on the police to use all legal means to prevent it and stop Hungary from becoming a "stomping ground" for international neo-fascist and skinhead groups.

The Hungarian constitution guarantees the right to freedom of assembly, often making it difficult for police to prohibit gatherings even in the face of public opprobium.

Taking full advantage of the liberal rules, ten applications were submitted by neo-fascist groups to hold the event on Saturday. Nine had already been turned down on Wednesday.

Justice Minister Tibor Draskovics on Wednesday declined to elaborate on what legal grounds had been used to ban the march.

Rudolf Hess was convicted of war crimes in the post-war Nuremburg trials. He died alone in prison in Berlin on August 17, 1987 and has since become an icon for neo-Nazi groups. (dpa)