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| Latin America |
| Anti-Globalization Protests Loom at Cancun |
| 2003-09-08 |
| U.S. environmentalists, militant Mexican peasants and European backpackers descended on the sweltering Caribbean resort of Cancun on Monday for anti-globalization protests at world trade talks. Yes, it’s that time again. Truckloads of Mexican police in gray uniforms patrolled the streets around where the World Trade Organization is to open a five-day meeting on Wednesday to nudge its 146 members toward a comprehensive world trade pact by the end of next year. Local authorities, keen to avoid a repeat of the riots that marred a WTO meeting in Seattle in 1999, are putting on free concerts and open-air plays to allow protesters to let off steam. Tattooed activists, some playing bongo drums, mingled with promenading Mexican families at a concert in a square in central Cancun on Sunday night as Brazilian rap music boomed from speakers through the balmy night air. And I had to work this week, dammit, it’s not fair! Campaigners say they will get their message across peacefully. "I would hope that we can demonstrate again that the WTO is an organization that should not exist. It is creating more harm economically, socially and environmentally than good," said Antonia Juhasz, a veteran protester based in San Francisco. Who else from where else. Activists say the chance of violence at mass protests planned for later this week was slim because many foreign campaigners were staying away from Cancun due to the cost of traveling and the reputation of the Mexican police as being tough on dissent. Mostly the latter, Mexican police have no sense of humor toward people trashing their cash cow tourist trap. Especially rich unemployed yankee hippie scum. "You can either come here and get your ass kicked by the police or stay at home and take action at a local level," said Juhasz. So I take it Mr. Juhasz will be issuing press releases from the hotel pool. Up to 15,000 Mexican peasants wielding machetes are expected to hit the streets at a demonstration on the meeting’s opening day on Wednesday. Another reason to stay by the pool. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #9 Cancun brings in a shitload of tourista dollars to perennially poor Yucatan, so the locals will kick some anti-globo ass even if the Federales don't... |
| Posted by: mojo 2003-9-9 12:12:41 AM |
| #8 I would have to kill my travel agent if I were at Cacun for my honeymoon and all the protesters were getting hit with hose cannons.... wait that could be entertaining. Would that type of show cost extra? |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-9-8 8:26:31 PM |
| #7 ........as the anti-globalists travel on capitalist multinational airlines, heh heh. Seafarious---I like your catch. Here is my favorite part about the French anti-globalization chap: But his latest sentence was reduced in a partial amnesty by French President Jacques Chirac, and a judge ruled he could serve the rest of his sentence under a conditional release programme. This is the guy that trashed the McDonalds Restaurant a few years ago. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-9-8 5:15:28 PM |
| #6 Can someone explain to me why these folks are violently opposed to economic globalazation and incredibly affirmative to every other kind of globization? Oh. Never mind. Inexplicable. |
| Posted by: Highlander 2003-9-8 4:37:34 PM |
| #5 tu3031, what they are saying is that unlike the Storm troopers in the U.S., the Federalis won't think twice about cracking some heads of young punks. Since they know that IF they try to damage the property in Cancun, the police will probably round up the whole lot and play a rousing game of piñata before they throw them out of the country. Oh please, oh please let them have a protest! I hope the camera is rolling! |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) 2003-9-8 4:07:31 PM |
| #4 Activists say the chance of violence at mass protests planned for later this week was slim because many foreign campaigners were staying away from Cancun due to the cost of traveling and the reputation of the Mexican police as being tough on dissent. So what they're saying is "we're basically pussies"? What a surprise. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-9-8 4:00:31 PM |
| #3 Brazilian rap music? No wonder they are angry. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) 2003-9-8 3:38:08 PM |
| #2 (M)any foreign campaigners were staying away from Cancun due to the cost of traveling and the reputation of the Mexican police as being tough on dissent And some of them are staying away because they're still on probation... |
| Posted by: seafarious 2003-9-8 3:23:13 PM |
| #1 "U.S. environmentalists, militant Mexican peasants and European backpackers"... What, no lesbian poets from Nicaragua? |
| Posted by: Raj 2003-9-8 3:11:55 PM |