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| Fifth Column |
| Anti-capitalist protesters wonder where to go next |
| 2003-06-02 |
| The anti-globalisation movement, a regular if uninvited guest at world economic conferences, is wondering which way to go after its disappointing show at the Group of Eight summit in Evian. Breaking camp after a weekend of violent protests in France and neighbouring Switzerland, activists were unsure about the effect their efforts were having on the tight circle of world leaders they denounce as heartless Masters of the Universe. A defiant "We're still winning!" motto scrawled on the side of a Sniff, longing for the good old days "It's problematic, disappointing, because we've done other counter-summits, in Genoa for example, where there were a lot more people," said Christal, a protester who said she was a teacher from the French city of Grenoble. "We thought (people) would turn out in huge numbers to protest this globalisation, but in fact you get the impression there are divisions everywhere," she said. "There were maybe fewer people than in Genoa... partly because the strikes against pension reforms in France limited the presence of the trade unions," said Helene Ballande of Friends of the Earth, who was in Annemasse, south of Geneva at another protest camp. Yeh, that's the ticket The next big date on the protest calendar is June 21, when organisers say several hundred thousand demonstrators should descend on a European Union summit in northern Greece. Mark your calendar, boys and girls. Greece, the outgoing EU president, has shifted the summit on security grounds from the city of Thessaloniki to the nearby Halkidiki peninsula, which can be sealed off easily. Lessons learned after each protest, hold it in remote areas, seal it off, etc. When they can't riot in front of TV cameras in a major city, they'll lose interest. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #8 "There were maybe fewer people than in Genoa... partly because the strikes against pension reforms in France limited the presence of the trade unions" Yeah, that's right, blame the poor trade unions for messing up your well planned outing. The next big date on the protest calendar is June 21 That's much better. Just in time for summer break. "What to do? What to do?" "I guess get a job for the summer?" "You fool! Create wealth for 'heartless Masters of the Universe'? Are you a simplisme Americaine?" "You mean we should something important? Then we need a cunning plan!" "No, fool! A VERY CUNNING PLAN!" |
| Posted by: Bubblehead 2003-06-02 23:41:24 |
| #7 Sounds like they may be starting to realize that they're an international fucking joke. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-06-02 21:47:07 |
| #6 Where to go? Why Bunia of course! Where globalization is absent and the food organic. Party in a non-industrialized, non-developed enviornment free of evil capitialism. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-06-02 18:29:30 |
| #5 I can't help wondering if some of the funding that previously helped to organize these rebels without a clue, has dried up a bit. No doubt the financial activities of "charities" and "peace foundations" are feeling a bit of heat from the war on terrorism. Could it be that the loss of subsidy checks to the George Galloways and others-less-known is putting a damper on their recruiting efforts? Let's hope so. |
| Posted by: Becky 2003-06-02 18:28:45 |
| #4 " ... heartless Masters of the Universe." This sounds like the invention of the comic books. Which is appropriate given these comical figures. They remind me of the "Rainbow" group out here in the western United States which are an itinerant band of counter-cultures that encamp for great lengths of time by squatting on land in the forest. |
| Posted by: ColoradoConservative 2003-06-02 14:41:44 |
| #3 Oh, I don't know... HELL? |
| Posted by: Celissa 2003-06-02 13:20:13 |
| #2 The anti-globalisation movement, a regular if uninvited guest at world economic conferences, is wondering which way to go after its disappointing show at the Group of Eight summit in Evian. Suggestion: North. These wankers should go north as far as it is possible to go north, and when that point is reached, stay there. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2003-06-02 12:54:21 |
| #1 "We're still winning!" graffiti'd on the side of a porta-potty is a pep talk? Anybody else out there thinking that maybe Microsoft should provide i-Loos for Halkidiki? |
| Posted by: Baba Yaga 2003-06-02 12:46:27 |