October 25. People demonstrating in Parliament square in Budapest demand the resignation of the First Secretary of the Hungarian Labour Party, Ernö Gerö. Functionaries of the Hungarian security services (AVH) open fire at the demonstrators. 200 people get killed.

György Gömöri (student of the Polish Philology Department of the University in Budapest):

This, in a way, was the most decisive moment for the course of the revolution. On that day a massacre took place in front of the Sejm’s building. [...] Unidentified ”provocateurs” started shooting from the roofs of houses surrounding the square. This was an insane and senseless provocation by the secret police, which later became the cause of bloodshed.

Sandor Kopacsi (head of Budapest’s police):

I received a phone call from terrified [police woman] Julia: [...]

• Comrade Kopacsi, AVH is shooting at people from machine guns!
• “Impossible!”

And then I heard the burst of shots through the telephone receiver. Julia started sobbing:

• Comrade Kopacsi, it is inconceivable! AVH is shooting from all the roofs!... [...] Colonel, comrade ... A tragedy... Terrible... People are screaming in pain and fear… Hundreds of casualties, women and children. Listen to the cries of the wounded... dreadful... horrible...