|
Protesters stay peaceful
|
 |
February 2, 2002: 4:31 p.m. ET
Thousands gather in Manhattan to protest globalization, but there's no violence.
By Staff Writer Richard Richtmyer
|
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Thousands of demonstrators braved the bitter cold and biting winds Saturday, marching through the streets here to protest the World Economic Forum.
And while there were a few arrests for minor offenses such as blocking traffic, Saturday's demonstrations were non-violent. Scores of police officers in riot gear escorted a large group of demonstrators from a rally point at the southeast corner of Central Park to a cordoned off area near the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, where the forum is being held.
Unofficial estimates put Saturday's crowd at anywhere between 3,000 and 5,000 people. They represented a number of different groups ranging from the communist Progressive Labor Party to a group calling itself Queers for Justice.
|
|
|
A group of protestors who call themselves "The Radical Rockettes" sing while taking part in an anti-World Economic Forum rally near New York's Central Park. | |
Some were there to protest corporate globalization. Others were speaking out against low-paid labor in developing countries. AIDS activists and
environmentalists also were among the demonstrators.
"There are lots of different groups, but the issues are always interlocked," said Pete Dolack, who was at Saturday's rally representing the Brooklyn Greens, an affiliate of the Green Party.
The World Economic Forum - referred to as Davos, for the Swiss ski-resort village where it has been held since its inception more than 30 years ago - is an annual gathering of business and government leaders to discuss issues affecting the global economy.
About 2,700 attendees turned out to this year's event, which was moved to the city as a show of support in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, which killed thousands of people and destroyed the World Trade Center.
Davos, as well as similar events sponsored by the World Trade Organization and the International Monetary Fund, have always attracted protesters. And recently, some of those demonstrations have become violent, with police and protesters clashing in the Streets cities including Seattle and Genoa, Italy.
| |
|
|
Demonstrators carry signs criticizing Vice President Dick Cheney, left, President Bush, center, and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld at a rally in New York protesting the World Economic Forum Saturday. | |
So far, Davos on the Hudson, as this year's event has been dubbed, has been relatively peaceful. The event began Thursday and runs until Monday. Saturday's demonstrations were the largest so far.
Prior to the event, New York City police officials made it clear that they would not tolerate any violence, and the show of force at Saturday's event played a large part in keeping the demonstrations under control.
There were a few arrests for disorderly conduct, but by and large, Saturday's march and protest went off without any major incidents.
"The police really geared up for this," said Kevin Skvorak, a representative of the group Another World is Possible," which was the primary organizer of Saturday's march.
"We were terrified. But we don't want to fight with the cops. We want to articulate our message," Skvorak said.
|
|
|
Akara Holder, second from right, argues with New York Police officers after two protesters were arrested, outside New York's Waldorf-Astoria hotel, the site of the 2002 World Economic Forum, Saturday. | |
The demonstrators were kept about a block away from the Waldorf, where they waved signs bearing slogans such as "You're all Enron, We're Argentina," and chanted slogans such as "New York, Seattle. Continue the Battle."
An army of city police, secret service and private security officers has been deployed to maintain order at this year's forum. Roughly 4,000 New York City police officers have been assigned to the forum, which
is costing the city roughly $10 million in overtime pay. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
