Thread: Injuries, arrests as thousands protest against Bush

SYDNEY (AFP) — Two policemen were injured and 17 protesters arrested as thousands marched in Sydney against visiting US President George W. Bush Saturday, although police fears of a full-scale riot proved unfounded.

Police officers, many in riot gear, lined the streets in a show of force as 5,000 people marched from Town Hall to the city's Hyde Park in a protest that remained peaceful aside from isolated scuffles.

State police commissioner Andrew Scipione said two of his officers were treated in hospital for head injuries after one was struck with an iron bar and another was hit by a dart.

"I am not happy that police were targeted and assaulted in such a violent manner," Scipione said, adding the demonstrators were arrested for a variety of offences including assaulting police, resisting arrest, offensive behaviour and throwing missiles.

With heavy rain in Sydney, numbers at the protest were well down on the 20,000 anticipated by police. Organisers estimated 10,000 people took part while authorities put the number at 3,000.

The march, which coincided with a summit of Asia Pacific leaders attended by the US president, was organised by a group called the Stop Bush Coalition and featured scores of anti-war banners calling for peace in Iraq.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard, who is a close Bush ally and has contributed troops to the US-led coalition in Iraq, was also targeted, with placard showing him as Bush's puppet.

As they set off, the protesters chanted: "Howard, Bush, USA, how many kids did you kill today?"

But Bush and 20 other world leaders were well out of earshot some 20 minutes walk away at Sydney's iconic Opera House on the harbour, where they were attending this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

The leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Hu Jintao, were protected by a three-metre high fence snaking through the city and 5,000 police and soldiers patrolling by land, sea and in the air.

The security operation, the largest ever mounted in Australia, included overflights by air force jets, police on jet skis in Sydney's famous harbour and special laws aimed at cracking down on protesters near the summit.

Police, fearing a repeat of violent protests at a meeting of economic leaders in Melbourne last year, bought a water cannon specially for the summit but the largely peaceful protest meant it was not fired.

"George Bush is a great evil -- he should get out of this country," said one of the protesters, former Guantanamo Bay detainee Mamdouh Habib, who was released without charge in 2005.

Deanna Adam, who attended the protest with her two children, India aged seven and Kyle, eight, told AFP: "We are here because we oppose the war in Iraq. It's costing too many lives. I have children and I am worried about their future."

A large banner carried by a group of marchers read: "War criminals not welcome here -- Bush go home".

But the demonstration also attracted activists concerned with a range of issues including climate change, workers' rights and globalisation and most were content to beat drums, blow whistles and chant, with some turning up dressed as polar bears, kangaroos and Britain's Queen Elizabeth II.

One group dressed in scarlet dresses demanded "Work Rights for MOD EDIT," while a protester carried a placard declaring "I don't believe in anything, I'm just here for the violence."


http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hIe ... Gr4sdjr6NA

Now if we could do a Million man march on washington and chase our president out of the city I would be a happy camper

Why can we not organize a million man march in DC and watch Air Force 1 take off in the distance

Now if we could do a Million man march on washington and chase our president out of the city I would be a happy camper

IF WE CAN SURVIVE THE NEXT YEAR AND FOUR MONTHS.....WE WILL GET TO ENJOY THIS PLEASURE. I, FOR ONE, WILL BE STOCKED UP ON CONFETTI FOR THE OCCASSION

Re:

"George Bush is a great evil -- he should get out of this country," said one of the protesters....

That's funny. I was thinking the exact same thing.
He seems to be representing Mexico better than us, so maybe we can convince him to go be the emperor / dictator there instead...

The same thing happened when he went to Canada to meet with Mexico and the Canadian government over SPP. Canada used tear gas to break up the crowds. We are so hated world wide. There is one problem though it is not just Bush it is the entire Political Arena of the United States that is to blame. We just can't blame it one corrupt government offical. We need to blame almost every stinkin one of them.

Does anyone remember Bush's Inauguration Day Parade seven years ago? Masses of angry protesters converged on his motorcade because they thought the election had been rigged. Eggs were thrown at his limousine. Security was the tightest it had ever been for any Presidential motorcade...Bush was not even allowed to get out of the limo to do the traditional walk to the steps of the Capitol Bldg.

Bush is probably the most beleagured President in history...Everyone hates him, except in Albania! They love him in Albania!

thats why they took his watch off his wrist...... now that sh_ _ was funny

Well darn, I was hoping we could trade Bush for Australia's prime minister who is really tough on immigration, you know a Presidental cultural exchange program, but is seems the Aussies are too smart to want the idiot either!!!

Originally Posted by AirborneSapper7

Now if we could do a Million man march on washington and chase our president out of the city I would be a happy camper

Why can we not organize a million man march in DC and watch Air Force 1 take off in the distance

I think that is why people hate us.
There is never a big demonstration against these traitors.
The Mexican trucks are here and not even the American truck drivers have taken any measure against it.
It seems like nobody care or they are affraid to take any position.

The citizens who don't seem to care are going to be first ones to scream when they realize they are going to lose everything because they are United States Citizens. They really need to wake up. Wake up America.
We have been to spoiled here.
All I need to do everyday is to look out my front door and see all the illegals that live in the houses around me and driver more expensive cars then I do and are all carrying new babies to shock me into reality. I know that welfare benefits are being paid to single mothers and their children. Women that are really married and living with 5 other familes and there husbands. No wonder they live as well as we do and they don't need to assimulate. They don't have to flippin assimulate to live here.