Series of EmergencyNet News "Real-Time" Reports Concerning "S-26" Protests Against the IMF/World Bank -- Prague, Czech Republic -- 27 July to 27 Sep 2000
27 Sep 2000 - 09:30CDT
CZECH REPUBLIC
Anti-Capitalist Protesters Clash With Police In Prague
As many as 9,000 anti-capitalist protesters clashed with police in the Czech capital of Prague on Tuesday during the World Bank and International Monetary Fund meetings. Protesters threw Molotov cocktails at police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons.
Protesters had gathered at Namesti Miru (Peace Square) in central Prague, then led a banned march to block the Congress Center. More than 11,000 police officers were deployed with water cannons and armored personnel carriers, and an additional 5,000 troops were on stand-by. Two activists smashed a fast-food restaurant's windows, but other marchers remained calm until police blocked traffic from crossing the Nuselsky Bridge near the Congress Center.
A total of 15,000 people, including delegates from 182 nations, have gathered for the meetings of the two global financial institutions. Protesters plan to form human chains around the convention center to disrupt the meetings and attempt to prevent the delegates from leaving the convention. Authorities continue to thwart protesters from reaching the capital, removing suspected activists from Prague-bound trains.
Dozens of people, including one Russian and one Japanese delegate to the meetings, were hurt in Tuesday's scuffles, which continued into late evening hours. A police spokesman said 422 people had been detained by Wednesday morning, but had no information about any charges being brought against them.
On Wednesday, dozens of protesters attacked police guarding Prague's central Hilton hotel, kicking off the second day of violent street actions against IMF and World Bank meetings. Police said about 40 to 50 "activists" assaulted them outside the glass-plated hotel where many delegates to the annual meetings are staying but were pushed back and dispersed. Other parts of the city were quiet in the morning.
17:00CDT/22:00GMT - 26 Sep 2000
Clashes Continue, Vandalism and Arson Reported
Prague, Czech Republic (EmergencyNet News) -- Exhausted police have reportedly brought in additional reinforcements after a full day and evening of clashes between themselves and anti-globalization protestors. Police sources said that "scores" of people have been arrested on various charges, but that an exact count was not available at the time of this report. Earlier reports said that thirty people had been arrested in just one of a number of skirmishes that took place at various locations throughout the day.
Emergency Medical Service personnel said that about seventy (70) people have been injured so far today, some seriously. Damage was reportedly done to at least seven or eight ambulances, that had come to assist those injured in various altercations.
Vandalism continued into the night, including major damage to banks, two different McDonald's outlets and a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. According to witnesses, marauding bands of so-called "black bloc" activists built barricades and set them on fire to block streets. Several cars were also turned over and burned, which produced a heavy pall of smoke over a portion of Prague. And, a subway line was also shut-down for a period of time as protestors blocked the tracks.
By evening, Czech President Vaclav Havel was publicly appealing for calm -- urging demonstrators to "abstain from violent forms of protests.'' Whether or not that will happen, remains to be seen -- .if the "Battle of Prague" is anything like the "Battle in Seattle" -- protests and additional violence could continue for at least two more days.
EmergencyNet News continues to monitor events in the Czech Republic and will provide additional updates as circumstances warrant...
*****
10:30CDT - 26 Sep 2000
IMF/WB Protests Erupt Into Violence
Prague,
Czech Republic (EmergencyNet News) -- Protestor efforts to block the
official opening of the International Monetary Fund meeting in Prague have
resulted in violence today.
As previously reported by EmergencyNet News, the goal of protestors was to attempt to shut down the Prague Congress Centre, where the IMF meetings were taking place. When it appeared that the tactic of surrounding the center was not going to be successful, rioters reportedly broke into several small individual bands and began to engage in "guerilla tactics," including vandalism, arson, and sporadic skirmishing with police.
According to emergency service sources, dozens have been injured as members of the so-called "black bloc" of anarchists -- wearing balaclavas and wielding sticks -- threw stones and bottles, to include home-made "Molotov cocktails" at police. Several police officers received burn injures as they were engulfed in flaming gasoline that had to be extinguished by colleagues.
Witnesses said that the exact number of injured is unknown at the time of this report, but that both protestors and police have reportedly been hurt as clashes erupted. Hundreds of Czech riot police, equipped with water cannons and armored personnel carriers have been deployed, along with ambulances and fire trucks.
24 Sep 2000
CZECH REPUBLIC:
Anti-IMF Protestor Train Stopped At Border
Prague, Czech Republic (EmergencyNet News) -- A train, believed to be carrying as many as 500 anti-globalization protesters from Italy to Prague has been halted today (Sunday) at the Czech border. Reports from Prague say that a number of activists from the Italian "Ya Basta" group were among those detained or denied entrance into the Czech Republic. Several of those denied entrance reportedly have also been identified as participants in a similar "N-30" anti-capitalist protest in Seattle, WA that disintegrated into riots on 30 Nov 99.
Meanwhile, in Prague, several small-scale marches and protests began to get underway under the watchful eyes of large numbers of Prague police officers. Larger crowds and a potential of civil disobedience are anticipated for this coming week as the IMF/World Bank meetings actually begin.
EmergencyNet News is monitoring events in Prague closely and will provide updates as circumstances warrant..
21 Sep 2000
CZECH REPUBLIC:
ANTI-CAPITALIST MOVEMENT: S-26 PROTESTS
By C. L. Staten, Sr. Analyst
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC: Government officials have announced that an additional 1,500 police officers have been temporarily assigned to the Czech capital in anticipation of up-coming protests involving a meeting next week of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The so-called "S-26" protests are planned to begin this weekend, with the IMF and World Bank meeting scheduled to begin next Tuesday.
A spokesperson for the anti-globalization movement, Alice Dvorska, is quoted as saying "We want the IMF and World Bank to shut down." On the opening day of the conference, protestors have already vowed to surround the Congress Centre, where the IMF/World Bank meetings are to be held, in order to prevent delegates from entering or leaving the building. The anticipated tactics are similar to those used at several previous protests in Seattle, Washington, D.C. and recently in Melbourne, Australia.
As was previously reported by EmergencyNet News (05 Sep 00 - ERRI Daily Intelligence Report, Vol. 6, No. 249), more than 11,000 police officers, including fully equipped anti-riot units and hundreds of plainclothes policemen, are preparing for the week of September 21-29, when up to 20,000 protestors are expected to descend on the city to stage mass demonstrations against the world's two largest financial institutions. The Czech police force will also have at their disposal some of the army's armored cars, trucks and helicopters, complete with 200 drivers, pilots and mechanics. An additional 1,400 soldiers will be deployed in the countryside to replace those policemen drafted for duty in Prague.
ERRI's most current assessment of the security situation involving the S-26 protests would suggest that the possibility of significant civil disobedience exists and that caution should be urged for tourists or other visitors during the period of 23 to 28 Sep, 2000. Although ERRI believes that extensive security preparations are planned by Czech military and police agencies, unexpected acts of violence perpetrated by "anarchists" or opportunistic criminals, may still occur.
05 Sep 2000
CZECH REPUBLIC:
Lead Focus
Police Brace For Protests During IMF Meeting
When the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank meet in Prague on 26 September, Czech police will face one of their biggest mobilizations since the end of the Prague Spring almost 30 years ago. More than 11,000 police officers, including fully equipped anti-riot units and hundreds of plainclothes policemen, are preparing for the week of September 21-29, when up to 20,000 protestors are expected to descend on the city to stage mass demonstrations against the world's two largest financial institutions.
The Czech police force will also have at their disposal some of the army's armored cars, trucks and helicopters, complete with 200 drivers, pilots and mechanics. A further 1,400 soldiers will be deployed in the countryside to replace those policemen drafted for duty in Prague. Such a massive display of force has not been seen since August 1969, when thousands of protestors gathered to commemorate the first anniversary of the crushing of the Prague Spring by Soviet tanks.
Hundreds of police have been conducting exercises for several weeks in a military practice zone near the northeastern town of Milovice. Intelligence has the names of the most militant anti-globalization protestors active during the protests in Seattle and Washington. The names are being handed out to border guards and police at Prague's Ruzyne airport.
On 28 August, a delegation from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation headed by Thomas Pickard -- the number two man in the FBI -- arrived in the Czech Republic to give their Czech counterparts security advice and information on strategies used by the protestors.
According to press reports, Britain, Italy and Switzerland have told the Czech authorities how their respective citizens are preparing to cause "disturbances" during the financial summit in Prague.
The city will create a zone of special protection around the Pankrac Palace of Congress, which hosts the official meetings. Security is also to be stepped up at the five hotels where the IMF and World Bank guests are expected to stay.
17 Aug 2000
CZECH REPUBLIC:
U.S. State Department Issues Public Announcement
On 16 August, the U.S. Department of State issued the following Public Announcement for the Czech Republic: "Demonstrators may attempt to disrupt the upcoming IMF/World Bank meetings in Prague on September 26-28, 2000. Local authorities estimate that as many as twenty thousand demonstrators may be present before and during the meetings of world financial leaders. As in previous World Trade Organization (WTO) meetings in Seattle and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) meetings in Washington, there is a potential that some demonstrations may become disorderly or violent. Local officials are working to minimize the potential for disruption. Nonetheless, Americans may wish to exercise prudence, and to consider avoiding non-urgent travel to Prague during the second half of September. Other areas of the Czech Republic are not expected to be affected."
27 July 2000
CZECH REPUBLIC:
Prague Vows To Control "Seattle" Type" IMF Protests
Officials in the Czech Republic on Wednesday insisted that the IMF-World Bank meetings they are due to host in September will not become "another Seattle" but anti-capitalist groups say the violence in Prague may be worse. Czech government organizers have said they will take sweeping steps to protect September's IMF-World Bank annual meetings from the clashes that have become a feature of global economic summits. Radical groups have taken to the Internet aiming to "Turn Prague into Seattle!"
About 11,000 regular Czech police will be on duty for the nine-day Prague event which will bring together an estimated 15,000 participants from more than 180 countries, including senior government ministers, central bankers and business leaders.
At least that many protestors are expected to descend on the Czech capital, straining its infrastructure and testing its young post-communist police force. Czech officers have
reportedly been receiving intensive training with advisers from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.A survey of radical groups on Internet does give some indication of what could happen in Prague. One site -- www.destroyimf.org -- calls for "a mass working class protest against the IMF summit in Prague. The challenge to the workers' movement is to shutdown that summit with the biggest international demo Europe has ever seen..."
02 May 2000-Series of EmergencyNet News Real-time reports Concerning MayDay 2K Protests 21 Apr 2000 to 02 May 2000
21 Apr 00- Series of ERRI/EmergencyNet News Reports Concerning A-16 Anti-Capitalist Protests in Washington, DC: 10 Apr 2000 to 17 Apr 2000 (with related Supplemental Reports and Advisories)
© Copyright, EmergencyNet News Service. 2000. All rights reserved. May not be redistributed/republished without permission of ERRI/EmergencyNet News.
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