13 Sep 2000

AUSTRALIA:

WEF Protests End, Olympics Said Targeted

Organizers called a halt to an anti-globalization demonstration outside the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Wednesday, with fears some protesters would now target the Olympic Games in Sydney. An Olympic security source said some demonstrators linked with the forum protests have targeted the Sydney Games opening ceremony.

Police said a total of 12 arrests were made for assault and criminal damage as protesters tried to block access to Melbourne's Crown Casino complex holding the three-day meeting. On Monday, 2,000 protesters prevented about a quarter of the 800 delegates entering the forum. Police toughened their tactics on Tuesday and Wednesday ensuring participants reached the meeting.

About 25 police officers suffered various minor injuries in scuffles with protesters who hurled rocks, ball bearings and containers filled with urine. An unconfirmed number of "activists" were injured in scenes of crowd violence rarely seen in Australia.

Although the protest was formally over, some "activists" remained on site, chanting and watched by police, with a small group streaking down a nearby street in a final act of defiance.

Authorities said they would not tolerate the sort of disruption in Melbourne at the Olympics. New South Wales Police Chief Peter Ryan said: "We will not tolerate this city being closed down. We will not tolerate any disruption to the Olympic Games."

12 Sep 2000

AUSTRALIA:

Police, Activists Clash Outside WEF Meeting

For a second day outside a World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting, police and anti-globalization protesters clashed as "activists" resumed a blockade at dawn on Tuesday to try to stop delegates from getting into the event. Police said three protesters were arrested outside the Crown Casino complex holding the three-day WEF Asia-Pacific forum just days before the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

Nine people, including two policemen, were taken to a hospital with various minor injuries as up to 500 protesters linked arms across entrances to stop delegates' buses entering the city center complex. Police managed to get seven buses through. Victoria police's deputy commissioner of operations Neil O'Loughlin told a news conference: "The protests this morning were quite subdued ... but I understand the arrests were for assaulting police and obstructing police."

Hundreds of police surrounded the center, with about 28 mounted officers in riot headgear, aiming to prevent a repeat of Monday when at least eight people were injured in clashes, two arrested, and 200 of 800 delegates could not get in. Most delegates managed to get into the venue on Tuesday.

Security was tight from the outset of the forum with protests expected from the umbrella protest alliance "S11," named after the September 11 start date. The S11 admitted Monday's disruption involving up to 2,000 "activists" failed to stop the forum. Between 5,000-15,000 union members were expected to join the protesters, but union officials sought to distance themselves from the S11 blockade...

11 Sep 2000

By Jeremy Zakis, ERRI Analyst in Australia

MELBOURNE - Protestor gathered in the early hours of Monday morning around Melbourne's Crown Casino Complex in anticipation of the arrival of hundreds of delegates for the World Economic Forum (WEF). By 8.00am delegates were beginning to arrive and S11 protestor numbers had grown to about 1,500 people, blocking most entrances of the complex.

Flanked by a police escort, the first bus load of delegates edged slowly towards a throng of protestors forming a human barricade across a main entrance. As the front of the bus rested against the first row of protestors, it became clear they were not going to get through.

With police attempting to calm the situation, it wasn't long before protestors grew agitated and began hurling abuse at police and physically attacking the bus with their fists. Wanting to avoid confrontation the police decided to turn the bus around and try another entrance. 

Elsewhere at the casino, the crowd had turned nasty. Western Australia Premier Richard Court was entering the complex by government car but was stopped and surrounded by protestors. Out of reach from police assistance, in the middle of a surging crowd, the premier attempted to calm the situation by talking with the S11 protestors. Despite being cordial, the premier was verbally abused and forced back into the car by the surging crowd.

For nearly an hour outnumbered police watched helplessly from nearby as protestors attacked the premier's vehicle with large implements.

Reinforcement patrols arrived and led a spearhead formation charge through the protestors splitting the group and carving a route through the crowd to the entrapped premier. The defeated protestors backed-off and the premier was whisked away, shaken but unhurt. Police then discovered that during the hour-long siege, members of the crowd had spray-painted S11 slogans along the car and slashed all four tires with a knife.

Near another entrance, police horse patrols had been sent in to break up various cluster groups of protestors, some noticeably wearing the masks. As police and protestors clashed, a female officer suffered chest injuries after being pushed against a concrete barrier and then pulled by fellow officers over a two metre (six foot) fence to stop her being mobbed.

Ambulance crews nearby weren't so lucky to escape as mob of protestors set on them stealing their keys and 'roughing' them up. The paramedics had earlier been attending to injured protestors.

After a couple of hour's delegates of the WEF forum found they could avoid the protestors by entering the building by boat or helicopter. However several delegates, including Microsoft boss Bill Gates, opted to avoid confrontation by not attending.

Throughout the day S11 crowds held a vigil around the complex and prepared to engage delegates leaving the forum.

A message to S11 from anarchists in responsible for the riots in Seattle came mid afternoon, clearly showing the warm connection between the two. After watching the protest unfold via an Internet site Web-cam, the Seattle anarchists said how "proud and excited" they were by S11's actions. 

Leaving the complex was less violent with most delegates leaving by boat or helicopter. The protestors were also noticeably sedated compared to the morning's activities. There were, however, ominous signs the struggle was not over as several protestors began digging into position around the casino buildings. Activists have already vowed to undertake another series of "peaceful actions" on Tuesday.

S11 organizers openly claimed the 'peaceful' protest was a success, but said that police tactics were heavy-handed and too rough. A police spokesman deplored the protestor's actions and commended the officers for showing restraint and acting in a professional manner. With the conference ending on Wednesday, the force of about 2,000 police officers was expected to remain at the casino, in anticipation of possible additional violence.

10 Sep 2000

21:30CDT - 10 Sep 00/12:30 PM AEDT  11 Sep 00 

S-11: First Clashes Between Protestors and Melbourne Police Reported; Five Injured

Melbourne, Australia (EmergencyNet News) -- Early reports from Melbourne and the World Economic Forum say that five people, including two police officers, have been injured as protestors clashed with police. The incident occurred as protestors attempted to prevent delegates from entering the Crown Casino complex. 

Ambulance spokesman Paul Holman also said the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel were having difficulty in treating the injured. “One of our paramedics was prevented from coming in. He was roughed up a little bit and the keys stolen out of the ambulance," Holman said. None of the injuries are described as life-threatening. 

A major clash was reported when a group of police attempted to break-up a group of protesters who had surrounded Western Australian Premier Richard Court's vehicle, which was trying to enter the Crown complex. Witnesses said that Court was unable to enter the complex and that his vehicle was vandalized with spray paint. 

Anti-capitalist activists, so far estimated at between 2,000 and 2,500, have publicly vowed to "shut down the World Economic Forum." EmergencyNet News continues to monitor events in Melbourne and will provide updates as the circumstances warrant...

06 Sep 2000

AUSTRALIA:

Public Warned To Avoid Melbourne During WEF

The public was warned on Wednesday to avoid Melbourne city center during next week's World Economic Forum (WEF) as police brace for what could be the biggest and rowdiest protests since the Vietnam war. Police leave has been cancelled and reinforcements summoned following threats by the so-called "S11" alliance of anarchists,  Marxists, "students" and other anti-globalization activists to wreck the WEF summit with a "Seattle-style" demonstration. After an apparent defeat at the Democratic Convention in Los Angeles, it remains to be seen whether or not the anti-capitalists can garner the necessary support to actually disrupt the WEF meetings. 

The protest is alleged to led by some of the groups that organized the violent protests that disrupted a recent World Trade Organization summit in Seattle, disrupted business in downtown London, and besieged a WEF meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Police have prepared extra cells to hold the protesters they fear they may have to arrest and a major construction union has announced it will set up a first aid tent in the meeting area, leading to fears that violence may be anticipated.

Victoria's Deputy Police Commissioner Neil O'Loughlin said the main objective of police during the three-day forum, starting on Monday, was to avoid confrontation.

03 Sep 2000

AUSTRALIA:

Police Fear Protest Alliance May Now Be Targeting Olympics

Media reports said on Sunday that international protesters attending next week's World Economic Forum (WEF) in Melbourne are being targeted by police trying to stop them disrupting Sydney's Olympic Games as well. Several ringleaders of violent protests that disrupted a World Trade Organization (WTO) conference in Seattle and a WEF meeting in Davos, Switzerland, are said to have slipped into Australia for the WEF demonstration starting next Monday.

An alliance of protest groups, styled "S11" (for September 11) which includes anarchists, Trotskyites, trade unionists, environmentalists, gay activists, students and school children, have vowed to stop the WEF with a blockade of at least 10,000 people. Organizers of a protest planned to coincide with the Games' opening ceremony on 15 September are hoping to bring back with them as many demonstrators as possible from Melbourne.

Olympic security police hope to pick out the ringleaders at any violent confrontation in Melbourne and get them out of the way before they can move on to Sydney. The British-based anarchist organization "J18" is one of the groups reportedly engaged in organizing the Melbourne protest, predominantly through the Internet. S11 is reportedly being monitored by the Olympic Intelligence Center, a group of state and federal police and intelligence agents.

21 Aug 2000

AUSTRALIA:

Lead Focus

Police Say They "Will Handle" Seattle-Style Protest Aimed At Conference

Police in Melbourne are bracing for an attempt by thousands of "political activists" and anarchists to disrupt a World Economic Forum (WEF) summit next month with a Seattle-style protest demonstration. The WEF, to be held in Melbourne's Crown Casino from September 11-13, will be attended by government ministers and international economic leaders, including Microsoft chief Bill Gates.

A well-organized alliance of anarchists, Trotskyites, feminists, trade unionists, students, animal liberationists, environmentalists and dozens of others marching to the drum beat of the "S11" protest movement has vowed to stop the WEF. Organizers are calling for 10,000 rioters to shut down the conference with a mass blockade of the showpiece casino complex -- and Victoria state police fear they may well achieve the turnout they want.

Some of the groups in "S11" (September 11) planned the demonstration known as "N30" that halted the World Trade Organization conference in Seattle last November. They staged another at an International Monetary Fund meeting in Washington D.C. in April and several others in European cities. The British-based anarchist organization "J18" is one of the groups organizing the Melbourne protest, predominantly by internet.

S11 organizers plan to travel immediately after the WEF to Sydney to join anti-Olympic protesters in a demonstration which security officials fear may be a major headache. S11 is reportedly being monitored by the Olympic Intelligence Center, a group of state and federal police and intelligence agents.

A message on S11's website says: "This is a worldwide call to action for people who are concerned about the violence and inequality of corporate globalization. We encourage anyone who is concerned about the direction of globalization and the actions of the WEF to form an affinity group and organize yourself to take action on and around September 11."

The group said it plans a mass blockade with street parties, music and performances around the casino as the climax to a week of "counter conferences, events and celebrations" by diverse groups from Australia and New Zealand. But Victoria state police, who are taking the threat very seriously, say they are prepared for any situation that might develop and are determined to prevent any disruption of the conference.

EmergencyNet News has been reporting on the various "anti-capitalist" protests from Seattle to L.A., Olympic security preparations, and will provide additional updates as circumstances warrant...

07 Aug 2000

Anti-Capitalist Anarchists Reportedly Threaten Sydney Olympics??

According to a report in the Sunday edition of the Times of London, anti-capitalist protestors from England and elsewhere are likely to target Olympic venues and associated corporate personnel during the September games. The Times report says that some of the same people associated with the now infamous "J-18" protests in London, which injured at least 48 people and caused more than two million dollars in damage, may be traveling to Australia to participate in demonstrations there. New South Wales Police say they are monitoring these potential activities closely and coordinating their actions with England's MI5, and the F.B.I. in the United States. 

ERRI/EmergencyNet News first reported on June 23, 2000 about the possibility that anti-capitalist protests might target Olympic events in an effort to publicize their agenda. The so-called "S-11" activist groups, who will first be attempting to shut down the World Economic Summit in Melbourne on September 11-13, are then expected to attempt to concentrate their efforts on Sydney and the Olympic Games.