BUDAPEST(AFP)---A Hungarian far-right group recalling the country’s pro-Nazi regime during World War II, inducted 600 new members Sunday in a military-style ceremony amid protests from the government and Jewish groups.

Members of Magyar Garda, or Hungarian Guard, attended the event in Heroes’ Square in Budapest wearing white shirts and black uniforms emblazoned with red and white stripes, a flag associated since World War II with Hungary’s Nazi-allied Arrow Cross regime.

Some 2,000 people attended the ceremony.

Fearing a resurgence of extremism, the Socialist party in government joined Jewish and Roma (gypsy) rights groups in placing large billboards with warnings along one of the capital’s main avenues, where Magyar Garda members were to march.

The black-and-white signs, some showing Hungarian Nazi leaders during the war raising their hands in a "Heil Hitler" salute, read: "History repeats itself. You can still turn back."

The Hungarian Arrow Cross regime was responsible for the deportation of some 450,000 Hungarian Jews to Nazi death camps, mainly Auschwitz.

Magyar Garda was founded by Jobbik, a fringe far-right political party not represented in parliament, and inaugurated in August with the induction of 56 members.

Its militant anti-gay, anti-gypsy and anti-Semitic rhetoric has led Jewish and Roma rights groups to ask the government to ban Magyar Garda, although the organisation has done more mundane tasks since its establishment such as cleaning cemeteries.

Jobbik spokesman Levente Jonas told AFP: "The goal of Magyar Garda is to finish the transition from communism."

Asked how that could be done, Jonas said: "I cannot answer that question right now."

He added however that Magyar Garda leaders continued to urge members to receive weapons training, "particularly because of the rising number of crimes committed by gypsies."

Far-right groups wielding their trademark red-and-white stripes grabbed headlines in September of last year following violent confrontations with the police in Budapest.

Anti-government riots had broken out after after an audio tape was leaked on which Socialist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany could be heard admitting he had lied to voters to win re-election.

Hundreds were injured and arrested in clashes and the police was also criticised for using excessive force.