Washington police use force to control World Bank, IMF protests Demonstrators in Washington protest on Sunday against the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Batons, pepper spray employed to push back demonstrators April 16, 2000 Web posted at: 10:38 a.m. EDT (1438 GMT) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- In this story: Hundreds arrested Prize-winning journalist arrested Protesters' headquarters shut down Building declared dangerous Wake-up call for World Bank president No stopping globalization RELATED STORIES, SITES ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- >From staff and wire reports WASHINGTON -- Police in riot gear used batons and pepper spray on Sunday against protesters gathered in Washington to demonstrate against the policies of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund as the organizations hold their spring meetings. Police hit protesters with batons and sprayed others in the eyes with pepper spray as they tried to push back demonstrators who had broken down a barricade outside the U.S. Treasury Department. Mounted park police used horses to push back others rallying near the White House. Hundreds of chanting anti-globalization protesters were out in force before dawn in downtown Washington, sitting down in intersections and blocking traffic. With helicopters whirling overhead and police sirens blasting, one group formed a circle on Pennsylvania Avenue about five blocks from the White House, their arms locked together in metal tubes called "lock boxes" or "sleeping dragons." Protesters form a circle on Pennsylvania Avenue with arms joined Over the past week, police have seized dozens of the devices -- pieces of pipe where arms are inserted at either end and then wrapped on the outside with chicken wire and duct tape to form a human chain. Another street near the downtown campus of George Washington University was blocked by protesters who'd strung up a large banner reading, "IMF Plus World Bank Equals Hundreds Rich, Billions Poor." Not far away, a dozen demonstrators jumped on the bumpers of a couple of tour buses, yelling at the sightseers inside, "Get off the bus, join us." Marchers carried signs with slogans like "Stop the War Against Poor." Another group carried a large bright pink papier mache pig emblazoned with the words "World Bank" and holding a globe in its mouth. Up to 10,000 people are expected to join a rally near the White House later Sunday. On Saturday, about 600 anti-globalization protesters were arrested in Washington. Hundreds arrested Saturday's arrests came as police prepared for even bigger demonstrations against the World Bank and IMF that are predicted for Sunday and Monday. An estimated 1,000 protesters demonstrating at two locations in the nation's capital Saturday were met by ranks of helmeted police. About 500 demonstrators marched outside the 50-block police perimeter around the World Bank headquarters in a spirited protest, chanting slogans like "World Bank, shut it down, IMF shut, it down." They also carried banners saying "Shut down capitalism" and "Free political prisoners." Farther down the street, another group of 500 protesters chanting "let them go, let them go," were held back by a wall of officers. D.C. Metropolitan police said the 600 protesters arrested were cited for protesting without a permit. At a late-night news conference, the police -- who initially said they had arrested "several dozen people" -- increased the number to "approximately 600." Those arrested were being held overnight at a number of facilities throughout Washington. Prize-winning journalist arrested Among those arrested was a three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer for The Washington Post. Police arrested Carol Guzy after escorting her from a cordoned-off area where they had taken demonstrators into custody. Police tried to keep protesters out of the streets using motorcycles, police cars and officers on foot to direct demonstrators. At one point, police encircled a group of protesters and pressed them against a building. Two large troop transportation trucks quickly drove into the area but were momentarily stalled by protester Andres Thomas Conteris, the coordinator of the Center for Economic Justice. Conteris walked in front of the first vehicle and, putting his hand in the air, forced the truck to a halt. Protesters' headquarters shut down An anti-globalization demonstrator protests on Sunday Earlier Saturday, police raided and shut down the protesters' headquarters after fire officials declared the old warehouse unsafe. Two people were arrested and about 100 were evacuated from the center from the morning raid. Police initially said they had discovered a Molotov cocktail in the center. It turned out to be a plastic soda bottle containing rags. Police said it was found near cans of paint and paint thinner. Executive Chief of Police Terry Gainer, who initially claimed to have found it, defended his statement, saying "An unloaded gun is still a gun." Adam Eidinger, spokesman for the Mobilization for Global Justice, the umbrella group of demonstrators in Washington, said the protesters were nonviolent and that "there were no materials for the making of Molotov cocktails." Eidinger called the closing of the center "a clear attempt by the police to shut us down." Marshals said fire-code violations included the use of propane gas for cooking, exposed electrical wiring, blocked stairwells and open cans of paint In a separate raid, an undisclosed amount of ammunition as well as firebomb instructions were found in a house on Friday evening, Gainer said. He did not say whether that raid had anything to do with Saturday's decision to clear the warehouse headquarters. The demonstrators used the building, which they called a "convergence center," for training and making materials for their protests against the policies of the world finance organizations. "We probably saved their lives," District of Columbia Police Chief Charles Ramsey said when asked why fire officials ordered the evacuation. "We're simply concerned about their safety, and we want to make sure there are no fire hazards." Ramsey, who has gone into the streets in recent days to mingle with protesters, was shown on TV videotape talking with a demonstrator who asked if police would use tear gas against unruly crowds. "We could light this town up if we had to, but we don't intend to do that," Ramsey said. Police have been deployed in huge numbers through the capital to try to head off a replay of the destructive anti-globalization protests in Seattle at a December meeting of the World Trade Organization. Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House, closed to vehicles since the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing, also was closed to pedestrians on Saturday. Tourists, who normally snap pictures of the White House from the sidewalk, were kept behind barricades across the street. Building declared dangerous Police said the building was a fire hazard, with a jury-rigged electrical system, chained doors and a propane stove that was not up to code. Patrick Reinsborough of San Francisco, who was in the warehouse, said two police officers and two fire officials came to center unannounced and began inspecting the facility. Several protesters demanded a search warrant, but the fire officials said they didn't need one for a fire inspection. "The police said they found things that were a fire hazard," Reinsborough said. "As soon as they claimed they found a fire hazard, a large number of police were in the area. They demanded the space be evacuated." Protester Chuck Reinhardt, 50, said fire inspectors said the propane stove was being used for cooking -- a violation of the fire code. Reinhardt said police officers told the people in the building to leave. He said around 300 people were in the building at the time. Late Friday, police raided a house where they said they found tools and equipment that protesters apparently planned to use to thwart police efforts to break up human blockades. Police arrested three people and confiscated hollow plastic tubes called "sleeping dragons," along with chains, chicken wire and gas masks. "We're very pleased that we're taking these instruments of crime off the street, and this will make the weekend much safer," Gainer said. Wake-up call for World Bank president Shortly before police moved into the headquarters warehouse on Saturday, activists woke up World Bank president James Wolfensohn. About 20 demonstrators from 10 countries appeared at his home in Washington's Embassy Row neighborhood with banners saying: "Wake up Wolfensohn" and "Wake Up World Bank." Vineeta Gupta, a doctor from the Punjab in India, handed Wolfensohn a letter signed by 450 people from 35 countries. The letter criticized the bank's lending programs, which protesters claim have increased indebtedness and poverty in developing countries. They also say the bank's programs promote sweatshops and destroy the environment. "The World Bank is subjugating our economic and social independence," Gupta said. "It is time that we shut the bank down, and this boycott is a great start." Wolfensohn, on his way to work, listened quietly as Gupta read the letter and demonstrators sang in the street. "Good morning. Well, thank you very much. You got up very early," Wolfensohn told the group before he got into his chauffeur-driven car. No stopping globalization A World Bank representative said on Saturday there is no stopping the merging of the world's economies. "We can't just stop globalization and get off," Carolyn Ansty told CNN International. "We have to try and look at both the challenges and risks, and there are risks. I don't think anyone denies that." But Ansty said her organization is concerned about more than money. She said the World Bank is taking on humanitarian issues, such as AIDS, which is on the agenda at Sunday's meeting. "For the first time the finance ministers will have a chance to discuss this," Ansty told CNN International. "I think although we recognize the right to protest, we don't know who wins by shutting down a protest on AIDS." The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. ================================ Robert F. Tatman [EMAIL PROTECTED] Jenkintown, PA, USA "Y Gwir Yn Erbyn y Byd"--Y Bardd Cymraeg "The Truth Against the World"--motto of the Welsh bards <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. 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