Kropotkin, Bakunin protest Wolfensohn

Seth Kulick skulick at linc.cis.upenn.edu
Fri Mar 28 20:45:18 PST 2003


Some of the local anarchists having some fun with a reporter for the University of Pennsylvania newspaper.

http://www.dailypennsylvanian.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/03/28/3e8424135909f

[Shannon Jensen/The Daily Pennsylvanian]

World Bank head draws protesters

By Greg Maughan

March 28, 2003

Protest was not listed in the program for yesterday's forum with

World Bank President James Wolfensohn -- but that didn't stop local

anarchists from adding it to the agenda.

Security for Wolfensohn's appearance was tight. Before the annual

Granoff Forum began, there were close to half a dozen uniformed

police in and around Zellerbach Theatre, as well as several

plainclothes security personnel.

Still, several protesters -- most of whom were not Penn students --

did manage to gain entrance to the forum. But despite the contingent

of protesters in the audience, Wolfensohn was able to deliver his

prepared remarks without incident.

The former investment banker opened by remarking on the current war

in Iraq, noting that it is too early to assess the war's impact on

the World Bank, but also stressing that "our world is going to be

reshaped."

Wolfensohn also lamented the problems that scandals at companies like

Enron have created for the World Bank as it tries to encourage

developing nations to eliminate corruption.

"Recently, the events in corporate America have made it difficult to

use the United States as an example," he said.

In his closing remarks, Wolfensohn highlighted the challenges facing

his organization.

"The issues today are of equity, social justice, poverty and

ultimately peace," he said. "Unless we deal with those issues, your

children are going to be handed a world that's a lot less good than

we have today."

The attack on Wolfensohn began after only a few questions from the

audience.

"I'm actually appalled," said Philadelphia resident Peter Kropotkin,

"that you are able to sit there and lie to these people and say that

the World Bank is a success."

School of Arts and Sciences Dean Samuel Preston responded angrily to

Kropotkin's comments, saying it was "a very inappropriate time for

sermons."

Protesters also distributed pamphlets outside Zellerbach featuring a

mailman saying, "I've got a news flash! CAPITALISM IS WAR!" on the

cover.

Mike Bakunin -- a protester who had been booed away from the

microphone after calling Wolfensohn a "rich scumbag" -- also gave

Wolfensohn a harsh critique.

"I think that he's pretty typical of the charming figurehead that

they put in front of the public, giving people a nicely packaged set

of lies," he said.

However, few audience members agreed with the protesters, and most

questions were more positively framed.

"I think the World Bank makes a lot of positive contributions to

emerging economies," said Brian English, a graduate student in the

Graduate School of Fine Arts.

"He seemed very sincere, and his background seems to indicate that he

cares about developing nations," he added.

Tickets for the event were only picked up with a Penn ID at a

temporary box office set up outside the building, and backpacks were

not allowed inside -- causing several students to be turned away at

the doors.

Inside Zellerbach, seats in the orchestra section had been removed

and a barrier wall had been erected, creating an empty space in front

of the stage that stretched about 25 feet.

Wolfensohn is a friend of College alumnus Michael Granoff, who

sponsors the annual forum on globalization.



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