HOME INDEX ARCHIVES FALL 98 SPRING 98 SPRING 99

IMF DELEGATIONS UNSTOPPED BY PROTESTS By Chris Knudtsen Washington, April 16--Police officers in full riot gear, stacked five rows deep, guarded the metal barricade placed between the Treasury Department and the Washington Hotel, against thousands of protestors who rallied against the IMF delegations that were scheduled to take place. The crowd of protestors was made of a number of different interest groups, ranging from organized labor to younger teenage rebels. Tim Viccate, a spokesman for UE (Union Employees,) said that the crowd's diversity demonstrates their strength. "We've got old people and young people," he said, "all of us here today know that this globalization is headed in the wrong direction, and we're the ones who are paying for it." Protestors succeeded in delaying the IMF meeting through sheer numbers by blocking cars carrying the delegates. The human blockades managed to stall the delegates but the meeting still took place. Police arrested several hundred protestors on Saturday. Thomas Perl, a student at Vassar College, said they were arrested without reason. "The cops herded us together into huge groups, then through us on the bus," he said, "they never told us what we were being arrested for and I don't think they even told us that we were under arrest until after they got us on the buses." The majority of protestors arrested on Saturday were held on the buses and remained there until Sunday afternoon, when police released them without further punishment. Most of Sunday passed without physical conflicts between protestors and police, but there were a few violent outbursts. Tensions were high throughout the day as protestors antagonized police officers from behind the barricades. The largest struggle between police and protestors was on 14th Street, where 200 "anarchist youths" tried establishing a barricade using newspaper vending machines and other heavy pieces of trash or construction. The "anarchist youths," wearing all black with bandanas covering their faces, charged officers around 10 am. Officers responded with their pepper spray and clubs, ending the conflict after about 15 minutes. There were several injuries, but none severe. One of the "anarchist youths," identifying himself as "Screw", said that the violence was needed to send a message. "We can't stand around and wait for someone to vote against this [stuff]," he said, "our mission is to tear down the entire system that perpetually destroys us." Others like Viccate, carrying a sign that read, "Jobs with Justice," do not have vicious aspirations. "All we want is equal opportunity," he said, "and we won't get that with a globalized economy where companies can hire out countries that use sweatshops." A rally was held throughout the day on the green behind the main action of the protest. Speeches were given throughout the day from labor and human rights activists. Michael Moore, who spoke in the late afternoon, said that the protests were a success. "We stalled the IMF for a few hours, but that is not it," he said, "we showed the government that we're not going to let them force this down our throats without a fight." Ralph Nader also spoke earlier in the day, but the crowd was less numerous because the protest was still drawing most of the support. He drew strong support from the crowd, focusing more on the "evils of the IMF," than on his possible run for president. "Today [the government] can look down from their buildings to see the common masses," he said, "and the common masses are the working class of this country who refuse to be ignored for a larger corporate profit."