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WTO Protesters Smash Windows in Montreal
A handful of protesters opposed to most everything the World Trade Organization raged through downtown Montreal on Monday, smashing store windows and attacking U.S. symbols ahead of a meeting of 25 trade ministers. At least one person was arrested before the activists were dispersed by police. The activists, many wearing hoods and gas masks, attacked a Burger King restaurant before moving on to a Gap clothing store in the main shopping street, accusing multinational companies of moving into developing countries and forcing local producers out of business. "Whose streets? Our streets," the group shouted, waving banners that declared "Destroy the WTO."
| Makes you think of Al Capp's "Students Wildly Indignant about Nearly Everything" (SWINE), doesn't it? |
Later, under pressure from the police, they scattered into the side streets. "What they did was legitimate," said Stefan Christoff, one of the organizers of the protests. "Police tried to stop the demonstration happening, peopleâs voices were rejected. These demonstrations allow people to question these institutions and their policies."
| "And to break things. That's, like, rilly kewl..." |
The rampage by a dozen or so activists occurred as police in riot gear held back around 250 protesters gathered in front of the Sheraton hotel, where 25 trade ministers were to meet later Monday. The meeting was called by Canadaâs Pierre Pettigrew to try to resolve differences between nations working on a global treaty to reduce barriers to international trade. Organizers of the rally had predicted that thousands would gather for protests, but only a few hundred had turned up by early Monday.
Iâm sure that those thousands would have shown up if they hadnât been in fear of their lives at the hands of the brutal Canadian police.
The activists are aiming to shut down the meeting, which they claim is a prime example of rich nations getting richer at the expense of the developing world.
Student Rodrigo Santos, 22, from Ontario said he had a firsthand look in his native Chile at how multinationals hire people at low wages, benefiting their shareholders back home rather than local communities. "If somebody ends up thinking about things and can tell their children and maybe someone else, thatâs good enough for me," Santos said.
What theyâre thinking, Rodrigo, is what a bunch of violent thugs you are.
The Montreal gathering is supposed to smooth the way for a meeting of all 146 WTO members in Cancun, Mexico, in September.
Memo to self: cancel September vacation in Cancun.
Posted by: Steve 2003-07-28 |
