________________________________________________________________________________ WASHINGTON POST: Protesters and even tourists who witnessed the event said not only did police fail to order people to disperse but they also prevent those who wanted to leave from doing so. On April 15, 2000 APRIL 16 1:00 PM WTOP-AM: People inside the World Bank and IMF buildings have been told they must stay inside the building. . . At one point, all of the police put on gas masks. The crowd took offense and started chanting. Moments later, Police Chief Ramsey arrived and presumably ordered the removal of the masks. Since then, Ramsey has been patrolling up and down the police line and talking to protestors saying, "Peace, no violence." Chief Ramsey clearly doesn't want this to escalate. He admits he's "nervous" but says, "everything is fine." When protesters saw him, they broke out in a spontaneous chant of "join us chief!" ROVING GROUPS OF PROTESTERS are closing down streets in downtown Washington, as police resort to clubbings, tear gas, and pepper spray in reaction. . . .Two homes used as gathering places for activists have been broken into and ransacked. . . Many IMF delegates got to their conference by arriving before dawn. . . Police beat and dragged nonviolent protesters on Pennsylvania Ave., including a wire service reporter who required medical attention. TROY SKEELS, INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTER: As we are attempting to go to press with the "Blind Spot," IMC's print publication due to hit the streets tomorrow, we are confronting a serious technical difficulty: Citing "riot activity" the Kinkos print shops in the area are either closed already or thinking about it.... Philip, from Oberlin College, Ohio, sporting a box of freshly printed pamphlets told me that he had left one Kinkos (24th and K street) that closed after police came in and harassed people printing up pro-demonstration, or simply anti-IMF literature. There was of course, no riot activity in sight. At least three Kinkos have already closed. It remains unclear how long the other popular "24 hour" printing outlets will remain open. Report from Locked Down DC Streets, 4/14/00 by Greg Ruggiero 12:01pm Sun Apr 16 '00 Aggressive police action and arrests have begun on masse in the streets of Washington D.C. This morning the police raided the main "convergence center," a sprawling meeting place where activists held non-violence trainings, built puppets and props, gave away free food, information and condoms, and held strategy sessions for the coming demonstrations. Using "fire code" as their excuse, the police raided the center and prevented organizers from retrieving their puppets, costumes and props. Local churches immediately became alternative spaces, and civil disobedience trainings and media trainings continued without interruption for the rest of the day. At 3:30pm I joined with activists outside the Department of Justice for an IAC organized demonstration against the U.S. prison system. After a half hour of speeches hundreds of demonstrators left the site and marched in the general direction ofthe IMF and World Bank buildings. As the march proceeded, our numbers grew from hundreds to thousands. Midway through the march I called Mike Eisenmenger at the IMC to report that the cops were maintaining tight control, using squadrons of motorcycle cops to hedge protestors off the street and keep them on the sidewalk. Police-blockaded streets manipulated the flow and direction of the march. Nevertheless, our energy was high, our numbers kept building, and our voices and drums overpowered the roar of the helicoptersthat hovered above us. As we approached the intersection of "I" and 20 Street NW the crowd overwhelmed the police, and we took the streets. As we spilled off the sidewalk the crowd rang out "Whose streets? Our Streets! Whose streets? Our streets!" Joy and energy shot through the crowd. Only a few minutes later the march paused at 20ths Street and K. The police were waiting for us and had blocked the intersection with a regular division of city cops. The march paused, but the chanting and bull horn speeches continued. Abouttwenty minutes later there was a buzz in the crowd: our street full of protestors was cut off from the rest of the march and surrounded by cops. On both ends of the street a full line of police had sealed off access and was detaining all of us 500 to 600 protestors between their lines. I reached Eisenmenger on his cell as an armored personal carrier arrived behind police lines on 20th and K. When a fleet of long yellow school buses rolled in behind the armored personal carrier, the situation became allto clear: they were preparing a mass arrests of all the surrounded protestors -- 500 to 600 in all. IAC organizers began using their bullhorns to organize the crowd for arrest. Eisenmenger and his crew arrived. I got a call from him on my cell, and we could see each other across the riot police line. Using our cells for sound, I submitted a video report of the situation on the locked down street. Jessica K. Glass and 5 or 6 other IMC journalists was trapped with me in on the street. While mainstream journalists were permitted to leave, independent media were not. Jessica nobly attempted to negotiate with the cops, but they made zero concessions. The only people permitted to leave were mainstream press. A crowd of supporters began gathering across the street from the 20th and K intersection and started chanting "let them go, let them go, let them go!" Lieutenant Jeff Harold of the DC police then rolled up on his motorcycle and took position in the center of the riot line. He announced the time, and then said something like: "You have marched without a permit. Arrests will begin immediately." At that point he gave an order, and the line of visored riot police advanced on us from both sides, in goose-step, grunting in unison like Conan with each step they took. They were closing in fast. I quickly punched in the numbers of a friend in New York, described our predicament, and asked her to phone my family if she didn't hear from me within 24 hours. As the cops moved in from both sides, the crowd of protesters cleared the street and began hugging to the sides. Just as it looked like I'd be spending A16 in the klink, I saw a two person mainstream media unit heading for the line, holding up their press credentials, making the break before they found their wrists in plastic. Deciding I had a shot at escape, I scooted up behind the two journalists, held up my camera like a press pass, and held my breath as I passed clean through the line of riot cops. A wave of joy shot through me once I realized I was free, and immediately tried calling Jessica on her cell phone to advise her on how to slip through. No such luck. Within minutes I was photographing the cops force her hands behind her back, bind them with plastic cuffs, and escort her through the DC drizzle to one of the prison buses. As she passed before the crowd, an IMC video worker shouted out an interview question, "Why are you here?" Jessica answered, "to send the messages that the corporate press will never carry. To free the media! Free the media!" A16 WDC metro weather: 75F, sunny photos: live images: *QTVR demo panoramas*: Blocking Streets is fun! Real Audio: "But it's a sunny day and revolution is in the air." Washington Post Staff Reports Sunday, April 16, 2000; 9:24 PM D.C. police are urging anyone who works downtown to stay home Monday, and the federal Office of Personnel Management announced Sunday night that only emergency employees should report to work at federal offices inside the protest zone, bounded by 12th and 23rd Streets and by K Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Other federal offices in the District will operate under an unscheduled leave policy; employees may take leave without receiving prior approval from supervisors, an OPM spokesman said. Federal offices in Virginia and Maryland are to operate as usual. Also, the Farragut West and Judiciary Square Metro stations will be closed Monday. Trains will run through the stations but will not stop. On the number of protesters, Williams said: ``What I've heard is up to 10,000 and we're expecting more tomorrow...''... Williams warned protesters that the damage they could inflict on the identity of Washington ``could be irrecoverable''.... WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Washington police, cracking down early and hard on protesters trying to block meetings of world financial leaders, seemed to have learned many lessons from demonstrations that turned violent in Seattle in late 1999. Police in the nation's capital used pepper spray and clubbed and arrested hundreds of demonstrators.... One block away, Ramsey's deputy Terrance Gainer defused another potential volatile situation where police had just liberally pepper sprayed the crowd which had been complaining that the vast majority of police were not displaying badges. [IMF] Delegates started arriving at 0500 local time (1000 GMT) before the protesters had assembled. However, correspondents say it is not clear whether they will be able to leave.... However IMF officials said some heads of delegations were absent from the meetings. At one point, French Finance Minister Laurent Fabius was negotiating with protesters to gain entry. Police were also preventing people from leaving the building because of the danger from tear gas outside. --- From: Jonathan Prince To: Sent: Sunday, April 16, 2000 3:15 PM Subject: WorldBank/IMF Protest MP3 Webcasts --- fowarded Sorry for the SPAM - but here's what I hope to start up tomorrow. I'll be out in the mayhem of protests in DC with my tape recorder talking to people and later I'll upload the audio to live365.com for MP3 streaming. This is the first real experiment in this plan of mine to create a Geocities.com-style web site of people who want to create MP3 audio talk/news web radio. Email me for more details, and listen in Sunday night. Thanx! Jonathan -- MASS LETTER -- WorldBank/IMF Protest MP3 Webcasts TalkAboutTheNews.com's First MP3 Webcasts TalkAboutTheNews.com will be recording interviews and conversations at the Mobilization for Global Justice in Washington DC and later on each night webcasting using Live365.com. Please come to our web site to subscribe to our newsletter for updates and how you can create your own MP3 news/talk webcasts in the near future. TalkAboutTheNews.com will soon provide free webspace, discussion boards, polls, and a whole lot more so you can create your own Web Radio! Stay in touch! http://TalkAboutTheNews.com --- damage report -- 20% more arrests than in Seattle: 637 v. 525 -- police illegally shut down demonstrators' HQ -- two universities ban public forums, events, student guests -- Printshops intimated into closing by police -- illegal sweep arrest traps 600 -- homes of protesters broken into and ransacked. -- demonstrators visited by police and threatened with arrest shut down.... 75 square blocks closed by police Downtown print shop close after police intimidation Metro closes three key subway stops.... REUTERS: [Chief Ramsey said] that the police had arrested 637 on Saturday -- a figure that already dwarfs the 525 arrested in a week of similar protests last year in Seattle. . .Body-armored police used batons "liberally," a witness said, as they clashed with about 500 protesters at one point before they reestablished the security fence that had been set up to keep the protesters away from the meetings. . . .In another incident, protesters surrounded a minibus full of delegates wearing business suits who were trying to get into the meetings. . . After about 20 minutes, a squad of riot police, backed up by a dozen mounted police, dragged the protesters away from the minibus, throwing them to the ground and beating those who had sat on the ground in front of the minibus. . . Some fund staff spent the night in the building, and many delegates arrived at dawn before the crowds gathered. Illegal sweep arrests. Print shops intimidated into closing by police. Universities canceling public forums under pressure from officials. Homes of opposition leader' broken into and ransacked. Headquarters of the opposition raided and closed by police. Blac Bloccades on the streets of DC by si @ squall 8:28pm Sun Apr 16 '00 antidote11@angelfire.com Masked teenage ninja mob who gained legendary status on the streets of Seattle n30 rise again in DC "No justice, no peace, fuck the police!" America's infamous Black Bloc were once again out in force in the streets of the nation's capitol today, April 16. A posse of around two hundred masked-up teenage ninja revolutionaries marched on the IMF and World Bank at around 7am under a sea of black and red flags and a twenty foot banner declaring them the "Revolutionary Anti Capitalist Bloc." They then set about on a running, wall tagging, barricade building, cop baiting rampage. 'Fuck the Whorehouse' appeared on a Whitehouse outbuilding wall, The World Bank's door plaque now boasts a natty anarchy sign and a federal spook's motor lost a couple of windows. Not yet up to speed with their Eugene counterparts - who reduced downtown Seattle into a sea of shattered glass and corporate hair tugging - the DC Bloc were big in numbers and young in years. Every dissafected youngster in the land of the 'free' is telling mom and pops to go hang and running away and join the black bloc. Four am alarm calls had woken a several thousand strong protest contingent early Sunday morning to get their butts down to the first IMF and World Bank meetings of the 21st century. They dribbed and drabbed down to the meeting points, dotted round downtown, but the old bill had been working overtime and had a fifty block area cordoned off. The mass of mostly twenty something, white American's (though a significant contingent of internationals were making their presence felt) pissed off with the destruction being wreaked on the planet's poorest nations by IMF and World Bank so-called development packages, locked on, linked arms and boogied about with giant puppets - as has become the hallmark of 'The mobilisation for Global Justice'. Every law enforcement agency in Washington was on the streets, US Marshalls, City Police, Park, Sate and military cops mingled with comically badly 'disguised' FBI agents. It soon became evident that the Bank and Fund meetings were going ahead, big-business as usual, despite a gathered crowd of over twenty five thousand. The police reclaimed several blocks and City Police chief Rainer banged on to anyone who would listen to how "chilled and restrained" his officers were being. Billy clubs and pepper spray were brought in to quell violent er...... chanters. The ubiquitous badgeless cops manned the barricades. As well as the cops, the spread of protesters over such a large area made them a less effective force than that that stopped the WTO in November. Attempts by police to extend their cordon area were held back by the kids on the streets with dumpsters, sticks and lots of: "Fuck you pig bastard," sort of stuff. The extensive organisation for the event was badly hit as training and convergence buildings were evicted, Independent media cellphones were blocked and anyone who looked like a beatnik throwback got shook down and had their puppets, banners and lock on gear confiscated. An entire eight hundred strong Free Mumia /US justice demo had been arrested and bussed out of town on Saturday night. They were held on the busses with the usual disregard for their civil rights - no lawyers, water etc - brought into play. Half are still locked down. Mid afternoon saw the majority of blockaders leaving the barricades to go down to The Ellipse - a large park just south of the Whitehouse - to join a 'permitted' anti globalisation rally. Things seemed to be fumbling to an anti climax, until Park Police horsemen tried to storm into a five hundred strong bandannered partying posse. SWAT teams quickly came to the rescue of both horsemen and corporate media teams who were attracting the odd slap. Horse shit and sticks sent the police out of the park. Buoyed by their mini victory a significant contingent of activists headed back to the IMF to monster delegates coming out of their meeting, but police whisked them away in buses and most headed home to prepare for round two tomorrow - the last day of talks. Around fifty arrests were made, one protester was hospitalised and activist legal teams are talking about bringing law suits against the police for brutality and violations of their first and sixth ammendment rights. As usual the mainstream media ignored the true story of structurally adjusted genocide and concentrated on the mythical violence of shouting and paint. Nigerian activist, Oronto Douglas, pointed out: "Puppets and songs don't kill children, bullets and poverty do." Many police actions in Washington DC by Michael A. de Yoanna 8:46pm Sun Apr 16 '00 mdeyoanna@hotmail.com Michael A. de Yoanna Edirot in Chief The organizer of protest told the CU-Denver Advocate just previous to his arrest, and the arrests of others, the demonstration was meant to address the "booming" US prison population. It was the first major activism of the weekend. The arrests came as the demonstration moved from the Department of Justice building at 3 pm, down Pennslvania Avenue past the White House, headed towards the World Bank building located just blocks away. Washington DC metropolitan police set up a barricade and quadroned off protesters, arresting everyone trapped in the area. At least four members of the Independent Media Center were arrested along with a Washington Post Pulitzer Prize winner photographer. A majority of those arrested were charged with parading without a permit and failure to dispurse. By Sunday morning many protesters had posted a $50 bond and had rejoined the demonstrations. A 90-block radius of downtown was sealed by police, preventing access to several important buildings including the World Bank and White House. Many police wore body armor, horse and motorcycle patrols were on duty, and an armored personnel carrier with a turret several times was used to reinforce police. Many said police had used tear gas, a charge they denied, stating they had used "smoke grenades." Demonstrators confronted police early, matching the 90-block ban by pursuing a tactic of preventing IMF delegates, police, and the media access to the World Bank by forming a human blockade by linking arms. Early on Sunday many sources reported a "single" pepper spray incident, however, reports filed by major news providers documented several different incidents.... Just 20 minutes prior to the pepper spray incident, several protesters refused to move for a patrol car, locking hands and dropping to the ground. The stand-off continued for nearly 15 minutes when police, who said they had wanted to avert a "situation," backed off, but not before the patrol car had been vandalized with red spray paint. Nearby, several members of Reclaim the Streets of New York City, took control of 15th Street and Pennsylvania Ave, preventing a tourist bus from moving forward. Tourists appeared amused by the incident, snapping pictures of demonstrators. Within 15 minutes several police on horseback appeared along with officers dressed in body armor, who forcibly removed the five protesters sitting with their arms locked. Police arriving on the scene use batons, striking several individuals to the ground. CU-Denver Advocate photographer Steve Jacobs was nearly clubbed by an officer while photographing the incident when he was pulled out of the way by CU-Denver Advocate staff. Earlier in the morning a man who identified himself only as "Frank" moved through a group of protesters. Many accused him of being a member of the IMF, though he denied the charge. The well-dressed man made his way to Lafayette Park, directly across from the White House, and was escorted by police towards the World Bank building after being assisted over a police blockade. Moments later carloads of men who appeared to be IMF delegates sped through downtown in a limosine escorted by two patrol cars. Though an employee of the World Bank told the CU-Denver Advocate that demonstrators prevented him from working his usual Sunday shift, meetings progressed, slightly delayed by the tactics of protesters. Ten Demandments by Cool Hand Uke 6:30pm Sun Apr 16 '00 address: Box 2065, Nevada City Ca 95959 phone: 530-477-7393 dscanlan@oro.net Guide for betterment 1. Protest the WTO, WB and IMF everywhere at every opportunity. 2. Assert the long view: WTO continues the dirty work of Columbus. 3. Run up your credit cards and refuse to pay them. 4. Refuse to pay federal income tax. 5. Merge issues, consolidate actions. 6. Urge good cops to bust bad cops. (Good luck!) 7. Tend to spend cash only with friends. 8. Convene without borders to write a new Constitution. 9. Sing, dance, play music and eat together. 10. Help everyone. On Monday, April 17, 2000 at 11am students at Rice University in Houston will gather in front of the statue of William Marsh Rice, the founder of the University, in the academic quad as part of a nation-wide walkout in support of the mass protest occuring on the same day in Washington D.C. # distributed via : no commercial use without permission # is a moderated mailing list for net criticism, # collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets # more info: majordomo@bbs.thing.net and "info nettime-l" in the msg body # archive: http://www.nettime.org contact: nettime@bbs.thing.net ________________________________________________________________________________ no copyright 2000 rolux.org - no commercial use without permission. is a moderated mailing list for the advancement of minor criticism. more information: mail to: majordomo@rolux.org, subject line: , message body: info. further questions: mail to: rolux-owner@rolux.org. archive: http://www.rolux.org