[fla-left] [news] Arrests made at World Bank demo (fwd)

Michael Hoover hoov at freenet.tlh.fl.us
Mon Apr 3 11:52:09 PDT 2000


forwarded by Michael Hoover


> >From the (Morristown, NJ) Daily Record
>
> By Joseph McLaughlin
> Daily Record
>
> FLORHAM PARK (N.J.) -- About 30 human rights activists
> and environmentalists, under the close eye of a few dozen
> police officers and sharpshooters, gathered at the Hamilton
> Park Conference Center yesterday to protest a meeting of
> the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
>
> At 10 a.m., two women were arrested after unfurling a 40-foot
> banner from the building's roof. They cut the chain on a service
> door with bolt cutters to gain access, police said.
>
> Judith A. Karpova, 55, of Hoboken and Lisa M. Kuhn, 19, of Salt
> Lake City were in the Morris County jail last night on charges of
> criminal trespass, criminal mischief and possession of burglary
> tools.
>
> Their sign, which read "World Bank and IMF = Corporate Colonialism,"
> was confiscated by police in about 10 minutes.
>
> The crowd, some dressed in grim-reaper masks, cheered at honking
> cars that responded to shouts of "Break the chains of death. More
> world, less bank." They circulated photos of their two comrades who
> were arrested.
>
> "It's very exciting to have this happening right in Drew's backyard," said
> one demonstrator, Drew University graduate student Nicole Roskos.
> "I felt very alienated when everything was going on in Seattle because
> I wished I was there."
>
> She referred to riots outside a meeting of the World Trade Organization,
> a World Bank affiliate, in December.
>
> Those disturbances are why Morris law enforcement officials aren't taking
> any chances.
>
> "We learned from what happened in Seattle. We won't let it happen in
> Morris County," Prosecutor John B. Dangler said. He expects at least
> 700 protesters at the site today and tomorrow.
>
> Protesters called on the World Bank to eliminate debt incurred by all
> Third World countries. The demonstrators blame the bank for trapping
> developing nations in a downward spiral that forces them to eliminate
> social programs and natural resources to make high loan repayments.
>
> The World Bank is charged with helping underdeveloped countries by
> pairing them with leading international corporations.
>
> "A lot of the money they get actually goes to rolling over the debt," said
> Jim Burchell, director of the nonprofit PeaceWorks in Morristown. "We
> feel that the World Bank is destroying the social infrastructure of
> many nations."
>
> The World Bank and IMF chose Florham Park for the three-day conference
> because of its proximity to New York. The groups are meeting with members
> of the Brookings Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. About 180
> guests will discuss the collapse of economies in Asia and its effect on
> developing countries.
>
> "These protesters are barking up the wrong tree," World Bank spokesman
> Andrew Kircher said. "The purpose of this conference is not to ratify any
> decision. It's just a discussion."
>
> The crowd, however, would hear none of it. "All of their meetings ultimately
> serve the same objective -- to help corporations dominate the world," Ted
> Glick of Bloomfield said. Glick arrived at 3:30 p.m. to open the rally and
> expected to stay all night.
>
> Police departments from across the county spent the day converting the
> conference center into a barricaded stronghold.
>
> By 11:15 a.m., a cadre of sheriff's officers and National Guard soldiers
> dotted the landscape. Officers from the K-9 unit walked police dogs
> around the perimeter of the property while sharpshooters from the
> specialized Sheriff's Emergency Response Team appeared as tiny
> silhouettes atop the conference center's rooftop.
>
> National Guard troops erected two first aid tents on property which
> nearby Fairleigh Dickinson University owns.
>
> "We're here to expose the World Bank and IMF as false prophets
> whose mission is to protect those who already control too much
> wealth and power," Kuhn said before her arrest.
>
> She and Karpova circumvented police by checking in as guests a
> few days prior to the start of the World Bank meeting, police said.
>
> By 8:30 p.m., the protesters had dwindled to about 20, but a party
> atmosphere prevailed. Some protesters pounded drums, blew
> wooden flutes and clanged bells to attract the attention of passing
> motorists and to alert delegates that there was still a group of
> demonstrators outside.
>
> Some police and protesters were conversing as the demonstration
> wound down.
>
> They agreed the events of last night were a precursor to heightened
> demonstrations set for today and tomorrow.
>
> A teach-in is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at the Drew University campus
> in room 107 of the university center. Those who attend the session will
> march to the protest site to join other demonstrators from 3 to 6 p.m.
>
> Protesters then are to return to Drew's Madison campus for a concert
> from 7 to 11 p.m.
>
> Tomorrow, a rally will be held from noon to 5 p.m. in front of Fairleigh
> Dickinson's Hamilton Park campus.
>
> Joseph McLaughlin can be reached at jmclaugh at morristo.gannett.com
> or (973) 428-6627.



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