APEC Media Roundup: PROTESTS – September 8, 2007

Links to coverage of the APEC 2007 protests in Sydney this week from media around the Pacific rim.

Media from:

Sydney Morning Herald

City braces for demo
David Braithwaite and Edmund Tadros

Protesters have gathered in central Sydney to a march against the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit despite a heavy police presence. LINK

PM scolds protesters over APEC rallies

Prime Minister John Howard has scolded protesters for failing to see the positive social and economic benefits of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. LINK

Not much civility from police chiefs, but scant civil disobedience
Tom Allard National Security Editor

CHIEF Superintendent Stephen Cullen, the head of the NSW Police Riot Squad, laid it on the line this week. Sydney, he said, was on the brink of violence and civil disobedience on a scale never witnessed here. LINK

The Australian

APEC protesters confront police
Ean Higgins

PROTESTERS have begun marching along Park Street in Sydney's CBD in a demonstration coinciding with the APEC leaders' meeting. LINK

Security tight as protest begins

A HEAVY police presence monitored thousands of protesters in central Sydney today as APEC leaders held their official dialogue. LINK

Thousands gather for APEC protest

THE biggest demonstration to be held on the sidelines of the APEC summit is about to get underway in central Sydney, with hundreds of people already gathered. LINK

The Age

Chaser team in second car stunt
Matthew Ricketson, Andrea Petrie and Daniel Ziffer

WHAT do you do when you've been charged by police for entering a restricted "red" zone at an international forum featuring 21 world leaders, embarrassing the Federal Government and the forum's multimillion-dollar security operation? LINK

A funny thing happened on the way to APEC…
Tony Wright

THOSE naughty boys from The Chaser did a great deal more this week than humiliate a multimillion-dollar security apparatus. They put humour back into what had become a largely humourless business: protest. LINK

Naked anger of activists spills on to street
Andrea Petrie

A CROWD leaving a bare-bottomed protest against US President George Bush stalled an APEC motorcade and sparked scuffles with police, after the crowd surged towards the entourage and caused a security scare. LINK

ABC Online

Protesters, police gather ahead of demonstrations

More than 1,000 people have gathered in central Sydney for what is expected to be the biggest protest during the APEC summit. LINK

Chinese, Vietnamese protests stay peaceful

While the Stop Bush coalition leads what is expected to be the biggest APEC protest march through Sydney today, smaller protests are taking place in Victoria Park. LINK

Thousands gather for Stop Bush march

More police are descending on Sydney's Town Hall as thousands of protesters prepare to march to Hyde Park in the biggest demonstration yet during the APEC summit. LINK

Inymedia Sydney

Senior police Scipione, Cullen at risk of Police Integrity Commission over APEC protest permits?

"It's not the role of the NSW police hierarchy to play politics positiioningrival protests against each other same time and place, to promote conflict tojustify their huge expenditure on security or to grandstand their law and ordercredentials." said Tom McLoughlin, solicitor in NSW. LINK

The Melbourne Alliance for Civil Disobedience Co-ordination (AC/DC)-Melbourne Solidarity

In spite of repression, and in spite of a state sponsoredorchestrated smear campaign against, AC/DC, Melbourne political activists ofall walks gathered to show solidarity and unity with those of our brothers andsisters defending their civil rights against the paramilitary police state in occupied EoraCountry (Sydney). LINK

Neo-Nazis at APEC

Corporate and state media and Johnny-on-the-spot report that a group of approximately 30 neo-Nazis, assembled under the banner of the 'New Right' and calling themselves 'National Anarchists', has appeared at the anti-APEC march in Sydney this morning. Also marching with the group is former Macquarie University academic turned professional racist Andrew Fraser. LINK

Stop Bush 2007

Anti APEC rally exceeds organisers expectations

10,000 protesters crowded in to the Anti APEC rally at Town Hall this morning far exceeding the estimated 5000 expectations of the rally organisers. Many of those participating said they were determined to attend, galvanised by the police harassment and threats. LINK

Bums for Bush

George Bush is coming to Sydney. Thousands of police, total CBD lockdown, draconian new laws to stifle all protest. Just so nothing disturbs Howard's moment of glory. Bush is here to push for nuclear power, neoliberal economics, and his right to invade anyone who says otherwise. Our future is being decided behind security fences and police lines. Traditional protest has been made impossible by draconian new laws – even banners are banned. LINK

Stop Bush/Make Howard History Rally and March Today

Contingents are organising are various points around the city to march to the main rally at Town Hall starting at 10am. Trade unionists are marching from the Maritime Union of Australia in Sussex St and students and young people are mobilising at Belmore Park to march with Resistance, the socialist youth organisation. Other social movements and organisations are meeting and gathering into contingents for the march that will follow the rally. LINK

Greenpeace

It is very unusual during an APEC meeting for discussions on a declaration to undergo a debate. Currently, discussions on the APEC Climate Change declaration that John Howard and George Bush proposed are met by skepticism and disbelief. LINK

Green Left

Anti-APEC protesters: united and peaceful
SYDNEY-Organisers of the Stop Bush/Make Howard History anti-APEC rally have announced that there are 10 000 gathered at Sydney’s Town Hall. Green Left Weekly’s Stuart Munckton reports that hundreds of high school students arrived at Town Hall, chanting “Troops out now!”, while the trade unionists also arrived chanting “The workers united will never be defeated!” LINK

Defiant anti-APEC protesters gather
Emma Murphy, Sydney

After months of stalling and weeks of harassment, police this morning have escalated their intimidation of anti-APEC protesters. Following on the success of the student strikes against US President George Bush, which took place around Australia on Wednesday September 5, crowds are already gathering in Sydney. The main rally against war criminals Bush and PM John Howard will take place at Sydney’s Town Hall, at 10am. Green Left Weekly's Tony Iltis reports that the police water cannon is already on display, and the gathered activists have had motorcades of riot squad vehicles drive around them, sirens blaring. LINK

ENDS

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