Riot squad masses in central Sydney for the APEC "violent riots" that didn't happen, mostly due to the intervention of peaceful protesters, who surrounded ski-masked 'anarchists' and refused to allow them to join the main rally, even after police demanded "they have the right to march".
Journalist and film-maker John Pilger has a message for the 8000-10,000 people who marched against the globally destabilising war policies of President Bush in Sydney during the recent APEC summit :
“You people stood up to the worst kind of power...We often think of the worst kind of power as something we see in other countries. But the worst kind of power was expressed recently at APEC. The day I arrived in Sydney was the last day of what was effectively martial law in the city I grew up in …
“But the people who stood up to this virtual martial law, imposed upon us, were you people. In London, it was great to see Alex Bainbridge, who is now an international star, on the news. People were shaking their heads and asking: What the hell is going on in Sydney? They built a fence through the city, you can’t go through the city, you cannot get to the Opera House but there were people who were protesting and resisting this. And resisting this bravely … "
More on the anti-Bush protests during the APEC summit, and the incredible show of police force on the day of the marches, can be found here :
Sydney's Promised 'Violent Riot" Protest Descends Into Shocking Peace
Police Violence Shatters Peace Of Sydney Anti-Bush Rally : "That's The Way We Do Business Now"
Prime Minister Declares Police Tactics Of Violence And Intimidation Against Peaceful Protesters "Worked Brilliantly"
Later this week, hopefully, we'll have our photo essay - Did This Protester Stop The Promised "Violent Riots" During Sydney Anti-Bush March? - up on this blog.
