Reply #46: Police in Riot Gear Face 10,000 Anti-Bush Protesters (Update1) [View All]

[struggle4progress]

By Arijit Ghosh and Gemma Daley

Sept. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Australian police clad in riot gear faced 10,000 demonstrators in downtown Sydney protesting against a visit by U.S. President George W. Bush.

Protesters gathered at Sydney Town Hall and marched toward the city's Hyde Park, where helicopters hovered, police vans blocked streets and a water cannon was on standby. Bush, Chinese President Hu Jintao and leaders and from 19 other economies have gathered in Australia's biggest city for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting.

``There are no leaders here, so I thought I would bring one,'' said John Lewis, a protester carrying a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi. ``Howard and Bush are just cowboys.''

Demonstrators carrying banners that said ``save Iraq, disarm America'' are protesting against the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, climate change and labor rights. About 100 protesters yesterday dropped their trousers in a ``21-bum salute'' to APEC leaders ...

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601081&sid=abhWdL8nGtUQ&refer=australia