'Day of Rage' marchers peaceful except in Rome
Source: Agencies |
October 17, 2011, Monday
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The global "Day of Rage" against the world's financial system won some limited sympathy from political and economic leaders yesterday, after protests that were peaceful everywhere but Italy.
Cities from East Asia to Europe and North America saw rallies on Saturday denouncing capitalism, inequality and economic crisis, but riot police were busy only in Rome.
The city cleared up yesterday, a day after hundreds of masked protesters torched cars, attacked banks and ripped up cobblestones and slabs of sidewalk to hurl at police and buildings.
"They must be condemned by everyone without reservation," Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said.
Rome Mayor Gianni Alemanno called the rioters "animals" and said it could cost at lest US$1.4 million to recover form the havoc.
Tens of thousands of other "indignant ones" had marched peacefully against the government of deeply indebted Italy. Yesterday a small group of peaceful protesters gathered by a church near where some of the violence took place to continue a sit-in. "We are the real indignant ones," a protester said. "They stole our day."
Lisbon and Madrid also saw tens of thousands march on Saturday. Spanish outrage has been fueled by multi-million-euro payouts for top staff at failed regional banks, amid high unemployment and harsh spending cuts.
But most turnouts worldwide were lower. "People don't want to get involved. They'd rather watch on TV," said Troy Simmons, 47, protesting in New York, where the Occupy Wall Street movement that inspired the global day of unrest began.
The wave of protest was not quite all over yesterday. About 250 protesters set up camp outside St Paul's Cathedral in London, promising to occupy the site indefinitely.
The group tried to take over the area in front of the nearby London Stock Exchange on Saturday. After being thwarted by police, the group moved to the cathedral and put up 70 tents. Some said they would stay there as long as possible.
"People are saying enough is enough, we want a real democracy, not one that is based on the interests of big business and the banking system," said protester Jane McIntyre.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he had some sympathy.
"It is true that a lot of things have to be faced up to in the Western world and there have been too many debts built up by states, and clearly in the banking system a lot has gone wrong," he told BBC TV.
"However, protest won't be the answer to that. The answer is (for) governments to control their debts and deficits. I'm afraid protesting in the streets is not going to solve the problem," he said.
"We support the right to peaceful protest. It's very important those protests are kept peaceful," Hague added.
European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet said the financial system could not be left in such a fragile state.
"It is our task to make the world financial system much more solid ... that is how I interpret part of the message that comes from this movement," Trichet said in an interview.
But he said authorities should not go as far as to "demolish" the banks, as they financed three-quarters of the economy.
"We are halfway there. We have already reinforced the regulation for commercial banks. There is still a lot of work to do, notably on the non-banking (institutions)," he said.
The rallies tracked the sun from the Asia-Pacific region westwards on Saturday, but the first demonstrations in the East made ripples rather than waves. Protesters gathered in their hundreds in Japan and across Southeast Asia. Wealthy Singapore didn't even manage that.
Cities from East Asia to Europe and North America saw rallies on Saturday denouncing capitalism, inequality and economic crisis, but riot police were busy only in Rome.
The city cleared up yesterday, a day after hundreds of masked protesters torched cars, attacked banks and ripped up cobblestones and slabs of sidewalk to hurl at police and buildings.
"They must be condemned by everyone without reservation," Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said.
Rome Mayor Gianni Alemanno called the rioters "animals" and said it could cost at lest US$1.4 million to recover form the havoc.
Tens of thousands of other "indignant ones" had marched peacefully against the government of deeply indebted Italy. Yesterday a small group of peaceful protesters gathered by a church near where some of the violence took place to continue a sit-in. "We are the real indignant ones," a protester said. "They stole our day."
Lisbon and Madrid also saw tens of thousands march on Saturday. Spanish outrage has been fueled by multi-million-euro payouts for top staff at failed regional banks, amid high unemployment and harsh spending cuts.
But most turnouts worldwide were lower. "People don't want to get involved. They'd rather watch on TV," said Troy Simmons, 47, protesting in New York, where the Occupy Wall Street movement that inspired the global day of unrest began.
The wave of protest was not quite all over yesterday. About 250 protesters set up camp outside St Paul's Cathedral in London, promising to occupy the site indefinitely.
The group tried to take over the area in front of the nearby London Stock Exchange on Saturday. After being thwarted by police, the group moved to the cathedral and put up 70 tents. Some said they would stay there as long as possible.
"People are saying enough is enough, we want a real democracy, not one that is based on the interests of big business and the banking system," said protester Jane McIntyre.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he had some sympathy.
"It is true that a lot of things have to be faced up to in the Western world and there have been too many debts built up by states, and clearly in the banking system a lot has gone wrong," he told BBC TV.
"However, protest won't be the answer to that. The answer is (for) governments to control their debts and deficits. I'm afraid protesting in the streets is not going to solve the problem," he said.
"We support the right to peaceful protest. It's very important those protests are kept peaceful," Hague added.
European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet said the financial system could not be left in such a fragile state.
"It is our task to make the world financial system much more solid ... that is how I interpret part of the message that comes from this movement," Trichet said in an interview.
But he said authorities should not go as far as to "demolish" the banks, as they financed three-quarters of the economy.
"We are halfway there. We have already reinforced the regulation for commercial banks. There is still a lot of work to do, notably on the non-banking (institutions)," he said.
The rallies tracked the sun from the Asia-Pacific region westwards on Saturday, but the first demonstrations in the East made ripples rather than waves. Protesters gathered in their hundreds in Japan and across Southeast Asia. Wealthy Singapore didn't even manage that.
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