World News 27-09-2000 Chaos Of Prague Protests who: The World Bank what: Summit meeting besieged by violent protestors where: Prague, Czechoslovakia when: Yesterday snippet: "Riots erupted in Prague yesterday," reports Justin Huggler in The Independent, "as thousands of anti-globalisation protesters attacked police with Molotov cocktails, cobbles and paving slabs ripped from the streets. Cars were set alight, and a dense fog of tear gas hung over parts of the city." About 5,000 demonstrators from Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain and France have congregated in Czechoslovakia to disrupt the International Monetary Fund-World Bank annual summit, resulting in the worst violence seen since the 1968 Russian invasion. "Five hours of angry confrontations resulted in injuries to at least 60 people," says The Guardian, "and left delegates trapped inside the building by the security cordon set up to prevent a repeat of the chaos that marked the World Trade Organisation talks in Seattle last December". "Police responded to molotov cocktails with blasts from water cannon before both sides disappeared amid clouds of tear-gas and smoke from concussion grenades," reports Francis Harris in The Telegraph. "Long barrages of ear-splitting explosions echoed across the city centre as police attempted to break a blockade of the conference centre". "I believe deeply that many of them are asking legitimate questions," said the president of the World Bank yesterday, "and I embrace the commitment of a new generation to fight poverty. I share their passion and questioning". [... more]

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