Melbourne Indymedia has the following report, written by Ignatius Quigley, about the 25th weekly demo outside Melbourne's Nike store, on Friday September 7:- http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=15876&group=webcast The 25th weekly protest outside Melbourne's Nike store (at the corner of Swanston and Bourke Streets) was held on Friday evening 7 September -- and a good time was had by all (all except Nike, that is). This corner is certainly a good place to hold a demo. Thousands of shoppers and city workers pass this spot during this time (5pm to 7pm) and most of them are glad to accept a leaflet from the protesters. As I stood there in the line-up tonight, I became more convinced than ever that the leafleting is one of the most important functions of these anti-Nike meetings. Tonight the microphone and amplifier were loud and clear as usual. Various activists gave speeches about the sweat-shop practices of Nike and other corporate scumbags. Other speakers gave an update on other important community issues, including John Howard's shameful exploiting of the "Tampa" asylum seekers. Also mentioned was Premier Steve Bracks's proposed "Peaceful Assemblies" legislation that makes it possible for a police sergeant to order the breaking up of a public political meeting such as the anti-Nike rallies. Outside the front of the Nike store, tonight's protesters again held a long banner advertising their plans to blockade the Commonwealth Business Forum, to be held at the Hilton Hotel in Wellington Parade, East Melbourne, on October 3-5. To give you an idea of the length of this banner, it requires about a dozen or so people to stand behind it, holding it up. Tonight this banner effectively obscured Nike's entrance, so that the city crowds passing this intersection could see the banner rather than Nike's entrance. I noticed that tonight's crowd of protesters included some new faces. A senior member of the executive of the Victorian Greens spoke from the microphone, giving an update on various social-justice issues in which he is interested. Tonight, unlike on a few recent occasions, the police were well behaved. I think the police behaviour depends on which superintendents or inspectors are rostered to be in charge here on the particular night. On a few previous occasions, a bossy new superintendent has tried to throw his weight around but tonight this did not happen. The constables on duty tonight just stood there, leaning against Nike's storefront, probably chatting about important issues like corporate globalisation and John Howard's racism (or would it be about tonight's footy match between Richmod and Essendon?). Also tonight, thankfully, there were again no sign of the paramilitary (and very "hands-on") Force Response Unit. If ever those guys turn up, you can expect them to instigate some mischief. Oh, by the way. You remember those five protesters who were arrested at Nike on Friday 1 June? Well, I learned tonight that the Melbourne Magistrates Court this week adjourned those charges till March 5 next year. Yes, NEXT year. Sounds as though the police might not be very confident about scoring a conviction in these cases -- hence the procrastination. Well, that's it for this week, folks. This is Ignatius Quigley reporting from the front -- the front of Melbourne's Nike store at the corner of Swanston and Bourke Streets. POSTSCRIPT: Here are reports of some earlier Nike protests in July and August (these reports contain some useful info for people attending these -- and other -- protests):- http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=12979 http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=14160&group=webcast http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=13652&group=webcast http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=14360&group=webcast http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=14961&group=webcast http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=15630&group=webcast -----o---------------o -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
