From: "Action Center" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2002 21:45:56 -0500
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [IAC] REPORT: Thousands protest World Economic Forum in NYC

PRESS RELEASE
February 2, 2002

THOUSANDS PROTEST WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Tens of thousands of activists demonstrated throughout
midtown Manhattan to protest the World Economic Forum
today in protests that show that the anti-corporate
globalization movement is alive and well.

More than 5,000 people joined a demonstration called by
the A.N.S.W.E.R. coalition, which began at 9 a.m. in front
of the hotel at 50th and Park Avenue, stretching north for
five city blocks. Thousands of demonstrators joined to
?meet and greet? WEF delegates who paid $25,000 to attend
the gathering of the 1,000 largest transnational
corporations.

Despite the presence of thousands of armed police
officers, protestors were heard clearly within the
Waldorf-Astoria. Their message of an end to Bush?s war at
home and abroad was carried from the ?streets to the
suites? of executives like Bill Gates and Bush officials
like Colin Powell.

?The police diverted thousands of protestors who sought to
access the demonstration area by establishing checkpoints,
barricades and closing surrounding streets,? said Mara
Verheyden-Hilliard, attorney for the A.N.S.W.E.R.
coalition

?Many people who made it through reported it took them at
least an hour to navigate through the maze of obstacles
set up by the police. Police told people the permit and
protest were cancelled, they misdirected others, and
diverted a large number of buses away,? stated
Verheyden-Hilliard.

Undaunted by the paramilitarized police presence,
demonstrators concluded the rally by marching to Times
Square to protest a showing of ?Black Hawk Down,?
denouncing the movie as racist war propaganda.

Outside the Waldorf-Astoria, Rev. Graylan Hagler, senior
minister, Plymouth Congregational Church in Washington,
D.C. said, ?Our detractors say the anti-globalization
movement is just rich, white kids. But we are here and
clear to say that we will not be separated nor
marginalized. The issue we are discussing affects people
at home, including people of color and the economic
policies of the W.E.F. affect people of color around the
world, with whom we have a kindred relationship.?

The day before today?s demonstration, the A.N.S.W.E.R.
coalition sponsored a day-long teach-in with 500 people at
the Community Church in Manhattan. Later that evening
nearly 1,000 people packed a standing-room-only indoor
rally at the Fashion Institute of Technology auditorium,
to hear speakers representing a wide range of struggles
affected by U.S. military and economic domination in the
world.

Included were Palestinian, Korean, Filipino, Somali,
Iraqi, Muslim, Mexican, Puerto Rican and other activists
who denounced bombings, sanctions and economic devastation
caused by U.S. corporate and government policies.

A large number of speakers represented labor, immigrant
and civil rights, and youth. A special featured speaker
was Saikou A. Diallo, the father of Amadou Diallo, who
gave a moving presentation. He invited all rally
participants to join him Monday evening for a family
memorial for his son, killed when New York City police
fired 41 shots into Diallo as he stood in the vestibule of
his home in Washington Heights. Rev. Lucius Walker of
IFCO/Pastors for Peace told the ANSWER teach-in, ?we are
asked whether it is inappropriate for us to be
demonstrating against the World Economic Forum. We are the
only ones who can change the world.?

?The conveners of the World Economic Forum were
calculating that the movement for social justice was also
a casualty of the events of September 11,? said
A.N.S.W.E.R. organizer Larry Holmes. ?The strong protests
of this weekend have proven that their calculations are
wrong.?

Organizers will be returning home from the weekend of
protest against the World Economic Forum to start planning
for the April 27 March on Washington Against War and
Racism.

-30- 

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