IMF-World Bank Protesters Pledge to Shut Down Nation's Capital Friday

By David Ho
Associated Press Writer
Thursday, September 26, 2002; 2:09 PM

WASHINGTON –– About 100 demonstrators rallied Thursday around a 15-foot model of a Trojan horse in opposition to energy companies and environmental policies — a prelude to larger weekend demonstrations coinciding with global financial meetings.

As dozens of police officers looked on in a steady rain, demonstrators gathered on a makeshift stage, banging drums and waving banners saying "Biodiversity" and "Clean Energy Now."

The Trojan horse was labeled "World Bank Aid," and dangling from its open belly were corporate logos from companies including Enron and Halliburton.

"When the World Bank says they're giving aid and loans for what they call development, it's really a handout to giant oil, mining and gas corporations," said Patrick Reinsborough, an organizer with the Mobilization for Global Justice.

In contrast to Thursday's orderly start to the demonstrations taking place in connection with the meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, a group of protesters opposed to capitalism and war said they would try to shut down the city Friday.

The Anti-Capitalist Convergence, a group that wants to abolish those global financial institutions, is planning a mass bike ride to protest the Bush administration's environmental policies and a march opposing "corporate greed" that will target the headquarters of various companies.

The demonstrators said they do not have permits for these events, which would wind through Washington's downtown business district and snarl morning rush hour traffic.

Further disruption could be caused by demonstrator "affinity groups," small clusters of protesters working independently.

"They will be staking out strategic and political targets to disrupt traffic and convey a symbolic message to the city to draw attention to the issues they think are important," ACC organizer Andrew Willis said. He said affinity groups will converge from all over the United States and Canada.

Police plan to block off streets in the area around the financial institutions located just a few blocks from the White House, and are bringing in 1,700 officers from neighboring communities to help local law enforcement.

The FBI also issued a warning this week that computer hackers may conduct "cyber-protests" during the financial meetings.

Protesters gathered Wednesday night at the ACC welcome center in northwest Washington. Ryan Harvey, an 18-year-old from Towson, Md., said: "We can't just sit back and just talk to our representatives ... and think things are going to get better. The best thing you can do is go out in the street and beg for attention."

In April 2000, Washington police arrested about 1,300 people during demonstrations against the IMF and World Bank. Protests at last spring's meeting of the two institutions were peaceful and focused on issues ranging from the war against terrorism to U.S.-Mideast policy.