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Tense WTO protests in Sydney streets
By Grant Holloway
SYDNEY, Australia (CNN) -- About 1,500 protesters have marched through the streets of Sydney, defying police attempts to restrict anti-World Trade Organization actions to passive, single-site demonstrations. Police made about a dozen arrests after scuffles broke out as disparate groups led police on a haphazard route through the downtown streets. The marchers protested outside the Sydney offices of Prime Minister John Howard and the U.S. Embassy, where an American flag was set on fire. Three women who stripped naked and lay down outside the embassy were also arrested and may be charged with offensive behavior. The offices of Refugee Dentention Center security firm ACM was also targeted, as was financial group Citibank, where protestors initially outflanked police and occupied the foyer before being forcibly removed. "Citibank has blood on its hands," one protestor shouted. "It has profited from the exploitation of the Third World." At one stage a female journalist was injured and taken to hospital after a police horse knocked her over and trod on her.
The protests came ahead of a two-day WTO mini-summit due to begin later on Thursday. Police initially banned all street marches scheduled to be held during the WTO meeting, citing the threat of violence from "an extreme element among protest groups." But Thursday morning they relented, allowing protesters to march under heavy police surveillance and control, through the CBD. The informal meeting of 25 trade ministers, the first since the Doha round of trade talks last year, runs from Thursday evening until later Friday and is designed to smooth the way for the next full WTO conference in Mexico. The meeting is being attended by WTO director-general Supachai Panitchpakdi, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick and Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Takeo Hiranuma. Zoellick and Australian Prime Minister John Howard earlier announced in Canberra that the two countries would begin talks on a free trade agreement early next year. (Free trade talks) A wide variety of groups gathered under the anti-WTO banner, including "Reclaim the Streets", "Free the Refugees", No War in Iraq", "Socialist Alliance, "Animal Liberation Against Capitalism" and "World Intafada for Palestine".
Many Sydneysiders reacted angrily to having their access blocked by the protestors, shouting abuse and angrily confronting the marchers. Others, however, told CNN they supported the actions, saying they were opposed to becoming involved in any war with Iraq. "I don't want to see Australia become involved," one man said. "I understand how they (the protestors) are feeling and I agree with it." More demonstrations are expected on Friday, this time at the main venue for the WTO meeting at the former Olympic site at Homebush. The site has been heavily fortified by police with temporary perimeter fencing installed around the main venue and officers given extensive powers to search and detain and person who might pose a threat to the security of the meeting.
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