Globalization protesters disrupt trade meeting in Australia

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Slashing tires and smashing windows, protesters clashed with baton-wielding police yesterday outside an international economic forum -- the latest target of an anti-globalization movement.

One organizer described it as "Seattle without the tear gas," but the demonstration outside the Asia-Pacific Economic Summit only briefly flared into the sort of violence that marred last year's World Trade Organization talks in the United States.

Protesters try to stop a vehicle carrying Western Australia's state premier from entering the Asia-Pacific Economic Summit in Melbourne yesterday. AP photo

Dozens of protesters surrounded and clambered over the limousine of one delegate, Western Australian State Premier Richard Court, before slashing the tires and spray-painting the car with anti-capitalism slogans.

Police sent in officers on horseback and with batons. One demonstrator who said he was smashed in the face was one of five protesters and five police officers who required medical treatment.

The violence quieted quickly.

The crowd of about 5,000 protesters blocked all entrances to the Crown Casino complex where the three-day summit is being held, linking arms and chanting, "No one in, no one out!" each time anybody tried to enter or leave the building.

Protesters also daubed slogans over buildings, streets and cars. Two were arrested. Both were released and were expected to be charged with assaulting police.

About 200 of the nearly 900 delegates weren't able to get into the complex, located on the bank of Melbourne's Yarra River. Prime Minister John Howard had to be taken in by boat since protesters had sealed off all other entrances.

"The right of lawful dissent on any subject is etched very deeply into the Australian way of life," Howard said last night. "We did not see lawful dissent today, we saw hooliganism, which is unacceptable and un-Australian."

Inside the casino, business leaders and government officials attending the summit, organized by the Switzerland-based World Economic Forum, discussed the future of the Asian economy.

Many of the demonstrators said the civil unrest was the only way to register their distrust of the heads of global corporations.

"We have no vote on who these major world leaders are," said Michael Gann, a California native who lives in northern New South Wales state. "They are not accountable to people because they are not voted into office. The only way we can send a message is by being active like today."

Organizers hailed their action as a success and vowed to return today, when Microsoft founder Bill Gates is among the summit speakers.

"We have delivered precisely the things we said we would deliver," protest organizer David Glanz said.

"It has been really good. I don't think we expected to keep so many delegates out," said Green Party representative Jan Davis.

One group inconvenienced by yesterday's protest was the U.S. Olympic women's basketball team, which was late for a morning training session after being stranded in the casino hotel lobby because its bus could not penetrate the crowd of protesters.

The team, in Melbourne to play exhibitions before the Sydney Olympics, later walked through the protesters and caught their bus. They returned to the hotel by boat.

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