ANTI-CITY ANARCHISTS PLOT GLOBAL RIOT Mark Macaskill and Jessica Berry
ANARCHISTS who masterminded this summer's riot in the City of London are planning a second protest to target banks and financial institutions, a Sunday Times investigation has revealed.
Militant groups including Reclaim the Streets and Earth First, which co-ordinated the June 18 (J18) action, have been in contact with their American counterparts to launch a simultaneous campaign on November 30.
A website set up to co-ordinate activists calls for a day of "civil disobedience" and "simultaneous actions in financial districts in major cities around the world". Last week a member of the California-based Ruckus society, the group behind the website, confirmed that it was in talks with British activists.
The date has been chosen to coincide with the meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Seattle, Washington, to be attended by representatives of 150 countries.
Detective Chief Inspector Kieron Sharp, of the City of London police, said: "We are aware of this date and are taking the matter seriously.
"We are trying to assess what is being organised, but it's too early to say if it will be on the scale of the June protest."
The J18 day of action, billed as an international "carnival against capitalism", turned into a violent demonstration that left 46 people injured and damaged property worth #2m.
After the protest, a secret meeting was held by Reclaim the Streets at which activists called for another attack "while the iron was hot".
The worst violence occurred at the Liffe futures exchange building, and the nearby Rabobank, where windows were smashed and offices wrecked. A McDonald's outlet and a Mercedes-Benz dealership were also vandalised.
Jan Dost, of Rabobank, said: "It was unfortunate that we were targeted last time. I can only hope that this time we will be spared."
A special action camp, called Smash the WTO - intended to train activists in direct-action campaigns and street protests ahead of the event in November - is to be held this week near Seattle. Among the speakers is John Jordan, a leading figure of Reclaim the Streets UK.
In an e-mail sent to The Sunday Times last week, an activist warned: "People are really getting prepared for some good action. I guarantee that there will be some anarchist s*** going down, too."
Dave, an eco-warrior with Earth First, said: "Direct action is the only way forward and plans are being made for another protest. We are waiting for further details by e-mail."
Schnews, an activist newsletter based in Brighton, recently told activists that plans were under way and said that regular updates would follow.
In what is thought to be a trial run for N30, animal rights and anti-capitalist protesters plan to travel to Bournemouth this month for the Labour party conference.
More than 16,000 members of the pro-hunting community will also be in attendance at the conference to protest against a possible ban on hunting.
"Some passionate anti-hunt campaigners see this as an ideal opportunity to cause trouble," said one activist. However, the WTO conference at the Washington State Trade and Convention Center in Seattle is regarded as the main event.
Seattle police have been liaising with the American Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to prepare for the 10,000 activists expected, many of them travelling from Britain, Germany and the Netherlands.
Senior police officials in Britain have expressed concern that small activist groups, which previously acted independently, have forged links with bigger groups as a result of J18.
They say this will make the co-ordination of a global event much easier than ever before.