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Sent: Wednesday, May 22, 2002 9:52 PM
Subject: Schroeder to Curb Anti-US Protests During Bush Visit
Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit source - "Clore Daniel C" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Times of London via The Irish Independent - May 20, 2002
Schroeder to curb anti-US protests during Bush visit
by Roger Boyes in Berlin
DEMONSTRATORS who use violence to try to disrupt President George
Bush's visit to Berlin this week will face the full force of the
police, Gerhard Schroeder said yesterday.
The German chancellor issued the warning in the hope of avoiding a
politically embarrassing outburst of anti-American anger. Other
politicians also urged Social Democrats and Greens to think again
before taking part even in peaceful protests against Mr Bush.
About 10,000 police are on alert after receiving warnings that
anti-American, anti-Israeli and anti-globalisation groups across
Europe intend to stage the most violent spectacle since the World
Economic Summit in Genoa.
The president arrives in Berlin on Wednesday night before travelling
on to Moscow. His hotel is next to the Brandenburg Gate, minutes from
the Reichstag where he will deliver a speech, and from the
Chancellery and a restaurant where he is to dine with the Schroeders.
From today that area will be the most densely monitored square
kilometre in Europe: the airspace will be closed and the sewers
patrolled. Already snipers have set up positions on the rooftops.
"People who confuse the right to demonstrate with rioting will face
the hard counter-force of the police," the chancellor said in an
interview yesterday.
Berlin, which is governed by a coalition of Social Democrats and
former communists, has been following a policy of 'de-escalation'
during riots. On May Day, for example, police stood back as
anarchists prepared to ransack supermarkets and set fire to cars.
Mr Schroeder is now insisting the city change its policy. He is all
too aware of the huge political row that will ensue if anti-American
violence spills anywhere close to Mr Bush.
The demonstrations - at least as long as they remain peaceful - are
supported by a broad majority of Germans, who now have reservations
about Mr Bush. An opinion poll commissioned by Der Spiegel shows
Germans are even more sceptical about him than the French are.
The 3,000 respondents across Europe were asked to judge Mr Bush: 26pc
of the French were positive, 51pc negative; while 19pc of the Germans
were positive; 50pc negative.
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