UK Minister Anti G Protesters = Organized crime Compliment or Insult?
za | 14.07.2001 06:50
In a report in the Guradian Bob Ainsworth, the British home office minister for organised crime, said: "We will not tolerate thuggery as seen in Gothenburg. Violence is not the friend of peaceful protest. It is the enemy. The problem is that legitimate peaceful demonstration is being stifled."
EU gets tough on summit violence
Special report: globalisation
Ian Black in Brussels
Saturday July 14, 2001
The Guardian
European Union ministers promised yesterday to crack down on violence at future summits, after last month's riots in Gothenburg showed that better coordination and tactics were needed to combat protests against globalisation.
With unprecedented security measures in place for next week's G8 summit in Genoa, EU interior ministers called for wider intelligence-gathering powers for Europol and the use of special spotters to identify troublemakers.
Protests are also expected at next week's UN climate talks in Bonn, which will attract thousands of campaigners fighting to save the Kyoto climate change protocol.
Friends of the Earth Europe warned that clamping down on all protesters would lead to frustration and promote violence. "We have to show that peaceful protest is effective," its spokesman Martin Rocholl told reporters in Brussels.
The EU made it clear that peaceful protest was anchored in law, and called for "constructive dialogue" between demonstrators and the authorities.
But the tone was tough. Bob Ainsworth, the British home office minister for organised crime, said: "We will not tolerate thuggery as seen in Gothenburg. Violence is not the friend of peaceful protest. It is the enemy. The problem is that legitimate peaceful demonstration is being stifled."
More than 500 demonstrators -dubbed by Tony Blair an "anarchists' travelling circus" - were detained at the Swedish summit.
There were more than 90 injuries and the damage was put at nearly £3m.
The Swedish police were criticised for failing to use teargas or water cannon, provoking demonstrators, and eventually resorting to gunfire.
Mr Ainsworth said there were no British plans to issue travel bans, like those used against football hooligans, but diplomats said the idea could be studied in national capitals.
Contact Details for Bob Ainsworth
People > MPs > Labour > Bob Ainsworth > Contact details
No email address. (Modernist/Technophobe Bob?)
Telephone numbers:
House of Commons Phone number: 020 7219 4047
Constituency Phone number: 024 7622 6707
Constituency Fax number: 024 7622 6707
Addresses:
Constituency
2nd Floor
107 New Union Street
Coventry CV1 2NT
Special report: globalisation
Ian Black in Brussels
Saturday July 14, 2001
The Guardian
European Union ministers promised yesterday to crack down on violence at future summits, after last month's riots in Gothenburg showed that better coordination and tactics were needed to combat protests against globalisation.
With unprecedented security measures in place for next week's G8 summit in Genoa, EU interior ministers called for wider intelligence-gathering powers for Europol and the use of special spotters to identify troublemakers.
Protests are also expected at next week's UN climate talks in Bonn, which will attract thousands of campaigners fighting to save the Kyoto climate change protocol.
Friends of the Earth Europe warned that clamping down on all protesters would lead to frustration and promote violence. "We have to show that peaceful protest is effective," its spokesman Martin Rocholl told reporters in Brussels.
The EU made it clear that peaceful protest was anchored in law, and called for "constructive dialogue" between demonstrators and the authorities.
But the tone was tough. Bob Ainsworth, the British home office minister for organised crime, said: "We will not tolerate thuggery as seen in Gothenburg. Violence is not the friend of peaceful protest. It is the enemy. The problem is that legitimate peaceful demonstration is being stifled."
More than 500 demonstrators -dubbed by Tony Blair an "anarchists' travelling circus" - were detained at the Swedish summit.
There were more than 90 injuries and the damage was put at nearly £3m.
The Swedish police were criticised for failing to use teargas or water cannon, provoking demonstrators, and eventually resorting to gunfire.
Mr Ainsworth said there were no British plans to issue travel bans, like those used against football hooligans, but diplomats said the idea could be studied in national capitals.
Contact Details for Bob Ainsworth
People > MPs > Labour > Bob Ainsworth > Contact details
No email address. (Modernist/Technophobe Bob?)
Telephone numbers:
House of Commons Phone number: 020 7219 4047
Constituency Phone number: 024 7622 6707
Constituency Fax number: 024 7622 6707
Addresses:
Constituency
2nd Floor
107 New Union Street
Coventry CV1 2NT
za
Homepage:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/globalisation/story/0,7369,521631,00.html
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