Czech anarchists express solidarity with Genoa demonstrators

Anti-globalisation demonstrators once again took to the streets of Prague, in an effort to show solidarity with their fellow protestors in Genoa. Two protests took place outside the Italian Embassy in Prague on Monday, organised by Communist and anarchist groups. As Alena Skodova reports, both were expressing their outrage at the police brutality they claim occurred over the weekend during the protests at the G8 Summit in Italy.

During the anti-globalization graffitti at the International Monetary Fund/World Bank Meetings in Prague, 2000

The Union of Communist Youth read a petition decrying police brutality addressed to the Italian ambassador. While there were only about ten supporters at the Embassy, the event drew the interest of the media as well as the local police. The number of journalists, television crews, and police officers in riot gear easily outnumbered the supporters.

The second demonstration was organised by several groups of anarchists who also spoke out against state violence in Italy. Radio Prague's Rob Cameron asked one of the organisers, David Lorenc, about the level of interest for anti-globalisation protests in the Czech Republic:

"Our main reason was to express to public the behaviour of state and police in Italy. We don't want to speak to authorities. We want to speak to oppressed people."

People are describing Friday's incident as a tragic accident, something which was a mistake. Is that how you see it?

"We don't agree with it. The intensity of protests is still the same as Seattle, Washington. The thing that is changing is the movement against capitalistic globalisation is that it's getting bigger and bigger. They can't marginalise it. They can't label it as extremist or chaotic. When you have 200,000 people, you can't marginalise it."

Both groups decried the capitalist system and the police brutality during protests. According to the promotional flyers that both organisations handed out, the repressive actions that are being taken by governments are a sign of an imminent revolution.

Violence during anti-globalisation protests accompanying sessions of international organisations has been escalating recently, in Seattle, Prague, Washington or Goetenberg. This weekend's G8 Summit in Genoa saw even more violence, as one protestor was killed and dozens more injured. Prague is set to hold a NATO Conference next year, and more violence is expected to accompany the protests that will surely ensue.