>From: "Macdonald Stainsby" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: "Rad Green" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000 11:26:12 -0700 > >Forwarded From: "Michael Gavin" >***** > >Just a short report on Prague, from where I've just returned. > >Although media reports that I've heard of seem to have concentrated on >the actions of the autonomists the real pichtur on the ground was >somewhat different. > >Estimates of the numbers of demonstrators are sketchy (because of the >decentralised nature of the actions). Estimates range from 10,000 to >15,000. My best guess is about 12,000. > >Despite all demonstrations being forbidden there were several major >marches (I took part in 3) as well as other actions. The police rarely >tried to hinder the demonstrations, which effectively dominated the >centre of Prague all day. > >The first demo (which I took part in) was at 8.00 am. About 2,000 >people, mainly mobilised by the IS Tendency, marched from the bus >station in the north of the city through the main business, shopping and >tourist area (including Wenceslas Square) to the main assembly point. >There were already several thousand people there. Later we were joined >by large delegations from Italy (many but not all from the Rifondatione >Comunista (spelling?) and Greece (including a very large delegation from >the Greek Socialist Workers Party). > >The next major mobilisation was the march on the conference centre, >which started at 11.00 am. I was of course on the one organised by teh >IS-Block. Together with a large group of Italian militants our target >was to get over the main bridge leading to the conference centre from >the north (i.e. city centre). The road had been completely blocked by >armoured cars with large numebres of Robocops lines up before and >behind. Although it was possible for the vangaurd of teh demo to remove >the police barriers it proved impossible to break through the police >lines. Although the police did use tear-gas sprays on some of the >demonstrators in the front rows the demonstrators remained calm and >resolute. This confrontation ended at about 3.15 pm after news had been >received that the conference had been adjourned for the day. The >demonstrators then marched back into the city to prepare for the next >stage. > >We received reports of violent confrontations between the police and the >demonstrators in the autonomist block who were attempting to approach >teh conference centre from the south. Other demonstrators approaching >through the hotel area succeeded in occupying a hotel adjoining the >conference centre. This prevented the delegates from leaving after the >conference was adjourned and the delegates remained trapped in the >conference centre until after 6.00 pm. > >The opening day of the conference was supposed to end with reception at >the State Opera, which is beside Wenceslas Square. The Opera House was >surrounded by demonstrators who sat ont the road from about 4.30 pm. >Meqanwhile plans by the authorities to move the delegates from the >conference centre to the opera using the Metro were thwarted by >demonstrators who were able to shut down the whole system for several >hours. Finally the state television announced on teh 7 o'clock news that >the reception at the opera had been cancelled. At a short closing rally >Julie Waterson of teh SWP stressed the importance of the achievements of >the protest. There had been a successful Europe-wide mobilisation that >had lived up to its slogan "Bring Seattle to Europe". All the >demonstratiosn during the day had been illegal, yet tehy had been able >to dominate the whole of teh centre of teh city all day. The task now >was to consider what to do next, both for those staying in Prague and >for those returning hoke this evening. > >The day showed that it was possible for political forces with quite >different traditions to work together for a common end. That the media >reporting should concentrate on violent incidents is, of course, to be >expected. But even with this emphasis the news media had to recognise >the "strong Marxist tone" of the protests - an achievement IMO of the >intervention of the comrades of the IS Tendency from various European >countries, East and West. > >This report is based on my personal experiences. Perhaps other comrades >would care to add their experiences and comments. > > > >================ >Macdonald Stainsby. > >Rad-Green List: Radical anti-capitalist environmental discussion. >http://lists.wwpublish.com/mailman/listinfo/rad-green >---------- >http://www.geocities.com/leninist_international/ >http://lists.wwpublish.com/mailman/listinfo/leninist-international > > >_______________________________________________ >Rad-Green mailing list >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >To change your options or unsubscribe go to: >http://lists.wwpublish.com/mailman/listinfo/rad-green > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for anti-imperialist news. 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