J18 - A Global Day Of Action

Argentina

Buenos Aires
A multi-religious assembly against debt and global capitalism in general was staged in front of the I.M.F and Central Bank building, followed by a march through the streets of the financial district of Buenos Aires. J18 was the first in a series of similar events to be held every third Friday.

Australia

Adelaide
Two small actions took place: the Wildcat Collective 'stuck coins around in strategic places', including the stock exchange, and Everyone for a Nuclear-Free Future plus supporters did a banner walk near the main branch of Westpac - an Australian bank who have invested in the Jabiluka uranium mine.

Perth
had three small events on the 18th - a Jubilee 2000 'wake up crawl' of consulates, a demo against Western Mining's desecration in the Philippines and an action against a local engineering company - Clough - that's helping a US/UK/Canadian/Swiss mob called Pangea to plan a major international nuclear waste dump in outback Western Australia.

Melbourne
Highlight of the day in Melbourne was when Kim Beazely, the leader of the opposition, was pied for speaking at a meeting about APEC and Global Trade, sponsored by Shell. The majority of people (along with three roadkilled wombats) met up at the stock exchange at noon, and went off to the local branch of Westpac. A group of people entered a department store and ran amok inside, and there were reports that a Nike store was paintbombed and that ticket validation machines on the tram system were damaged.

Sydney
At least three major events took place, alongside other autonomous actions. The anti-business lunch was followed by a 'scumbag's tour' of the business district. Critical mass took place later in the evening, over the harbour bridge and around the town.

Bangladesh

Dhaka
Friday is the weekly holiday in Bangladesh so all the offices of financial institutions were closed on that day. Previously the Domestic Workers Association had decided to organise a demonstration in front of the World Bank's office for Bangladesh. But due to the holiday it was moved to Purina Paltan in the centre of Dhaka. Several hundreds of domestic workers demonstrated for two hours with slogans against the IMF, World Bank, capitalism and TNCs, and exploitation both local and international.

Belarus

Minsk
Two groups organised a picket near the McDonald's in the centre of Minsk. They handed out pamphlets about multinational corporations and their policy, and handed toilet paper to people entering McDonalds. Any public meetings or demonstrations are illegal in Belarus but nobody was arrested. Also, the "No Corporations" - open air festival was staged without permission by the state.

Brazil

Desterro
In Desterro (named by the state Florianopolis) the 12 meters high clock placed in the centre of the city, built by the media giant "Globo Network" was stained with red paint symbolising the blood of indigenous people shed by the European conquerors. The clock, a copy of which is erected in the capital of every Brazilian state, is intended to celebrate the 500 years of "discovery" (read invasion) of this land. At the bottom of the clock was spray-painted: "celebrating what?".

Canada

Calgary
30 local activists converged on the headquarters of Shell Canada, in a protest in solidarity with the peoples of the Niger Delta. Slogans were chalked around the foyer of the building, banners displayed and leaflets distributed. After half an hour the protest moved onto the head office of Chevron Canada, conveniently situated only half a block away.

Ottawa
60-100 people met in Confederation Park and began a march with songs courtesy of the Raging Grannies. The grannies are a group of seniors who use song and humour to highlight social and economic injustice. As they passed the Bank of Nova Scotia 'auditors' were sent into the building to conduct a moral audit of the institution. The parade then paid visits to the US and Mexican embassies, the National Press building, Monsanto, Anderson consultants, closed off a Shell station and finally confronted the headquarters of arms manufacturer Raytheon.

Toronto
RTS Toronto 'concluded peacefully, with over 2 thousand cyclists, dancers, pedestrians and protesters participating, presided over by a giant goddess. Police presence was extremely heavy with riot police, horses, bullet-proof vest wearing Emergency Task Force cops and bike fuzz, but despite the burning effigies in the streets (a television/VCR, Mercedes symbol, and a giant asshole)'. There were no arrests.

Vancouver
About a hundred people "quarantined" the Vancouver Stock Exchange and the headquarters of the timber giant Macmillan Bloedell and Global Corporation.

Czech Republic

Numerous actions took place in conjunction with J18, organised by a coalition of local and national groups.

The first street party outside Prague took place in Brno on May 22nd with more than 800 people attending.

The 3rd Prague street party on June 5th attracted a crowd of more than 7000 in the city centre. It was timed to coincide with the planned arrival of the Intercontinental Caravan, which was refused entry to the country, and staged as solidarity with the J18 actions. After plenty of entertainment, a spirited march headed towards the historic centre of the city.

The conveniently placed US embassy was attacked with bottles and stones despite the presence of 1000 police with water canons, horses and helicopters. More damage was done on the way back from the Prague castle into town. A police station, several fast food stores and one TV station were attacked. 114 arrests.

On June 18, a much smaller crowd of 350 gathered in central Prague to stir more trouble at bank branches and corporate headquarters. However, being outnumbered by the police 3:1 and confronted with bad weather, everybody decided to call it a day fairly early. Nevertheless, the massive police presence managed to tame the traffic in the city for the day.

There were also direct actions around the whole of Czech, and activists in different cities ran infoshops to inform about J18 and actions around the world.

The first solidarity action with PGA and actions around the world in Slovakia was held on 12 June, although we don't have any more details.

France

Bordeaux
A group of 50 took a ramble around 20 local bank branches. At each bank they carried out a symbolic occupation, demanding that the branch managers send faxes denouncing neo-liberal economic policies to the French finance minister and other financial institutions.

Germany

Cologne
Events in Cologne, where the G8 ministers were meeting, proved somewhat less spectacular than expected. The 'laugh parade' planned for the day was effectively stopped by thousands of police. Indians and others from the Intercontinental Caravan for solidarity and resistance, arriving at Cologne after a month of action all around Europe were stopped by the police before entering the subway to the city centre, where many were beaten up and 30 arrested. 500 European participants on the way to the parade were similarly surrounded.

The following day's big march (not the Jubilee 2000 event - that was separate) through the city attracted about 10,000 people including a large Kurdish contingent. Other successful actions included the invasion of a police vehicle compound where several vehicles were damaged, damage to the doors of banks and investment houses, and a demonstration by Iranian women outside the cathedral while the world leaders were having a service said in their honour.

Greece

Athens
About 2-300 people took over the streets in Athens and made lots of noise. There were reports of people burning pallets and setting up barricades, and two busloads of riot police were there with all the gear on, but there were no serious clashes.

Israel

Tel Aviv
The 'Goodbye to the Mall' Street party was held on the streets of Tel-Aviv's financial district.

Italy

Bologna
The most important action organised by Anarcociclisti in Italy for J18 was a walk-about through the city of Bologna. Anarcociclisti and members of the AIS (Associazione Italiana Sprecisi ) created a multitude of autonomous zones in the centre of the town for the night, blocking the traffic and involving people in their performances. Cash machines were stickered. Similar actions happened in Milano, Roma, Siena, Firenze and Ancona but unfortunately we have no further details.

Malta

The Moviment Graffitti staged a rock concert under the banner "Malta not for sale".

Nepal

'Unfortunately there was no physical action or protest regarding J18 in Nepal. However, we composed a memorandum and gave it to the Nepal representatives of the Asian Development Bank, IMF, and the World Bank.'

Netherlands

Amsterdam
'Around 50 activists gathered in front of the Amsterdam stock exchange. A 6 by 8 metre banner was hung between two lampposts to transform the pseudo-classical front of the building, leaving a gate for the moneymakers.

At one stage the protestors moved towards the front door of the stock exchange (which miraculously closed very rapidly!) and officially closed the building with a colourful ribbon and cheap cider. Once closed, 10 Statements For The Reform Of The Financial-Economic System were presented and virtually hammered onto the front door, in the style of Luther in 1516.'

Nigeria

Port Harcourt
Thousands of people from all walks of life gathered at the Port Harcourt International Airport to wait for the return to Nigeria of Dr. Owens Wiwa, younger brother Ken Saro-Wiwa. Owens was forced into exile in North America four years ago.

The crowd then moved in a convoy to Agip Junction in Port Harcourt where a street named after ex-dictator Abacha was unofficially re-named after Ken Saro-Wiwa with the old signpost pulled out. The crowd also stormed Agip offices where two mock coffins where deposited in its front in protest against the human rights atrocities of the Italian company. Agip has been responsible for the murder of eight people in the Ijaw region in April. The demonstrators also blockaded the gates leading to the offices of Shell in Port Harcourt for about two hours. Solidarity messages were presented by representatives of virtually all the ethnic nationalities in Niger Delta. The dancing and singing in the streets brought Nigeria's petroleum capital to a standstill.

Pakistan

Gujerat
A June 18th March against nukes and Pakistan's nuclear tests ended with several organisers arrested, tortured and remanded in prison possibly facing the death penalty.

The procession broke through the police cordon to tour parts of the city. Union leaders who had gone into hiding four days before were present, masked up, despite the authorities being ready for them on every street corner.

After the march, a protest was held outside the district court, and while speeches were being made, several hundred police charged in with tear gas to arrest about 60 people. 50 of these were later released but the remaining seven, all officials in various unions were charged with the Pakistani equivalent of high treason - details of how to support are in the prisoners section on page 7.

Portugal

Lisbon
A small street protest was held to inform the public about the link between globalisation and capitalism with environmental destruction and social inequality. Separately another group did a few actions during the day, including simulating the demolition of a bank, by pushing a guy with a helmet against its doors.

Senegal

Exploitation of children was the theme for Senegal's demonstration on June 18th. Debt and structural adjustment policies have meant that the government have cut back on education, forcing hundreds of thousands of 13, 14, and 15 year olds out of school into having to support themselves. Six hundred people assembled on the 18th and the 19th, to hear speeches and see sketches performed by youth of the district.

South Korea

Seoul
On June 18, around 200 people gathered for a rally in the center of Seoul, KwangHwaMoon-street. After an enactment of an imaginary conversation between financial speculator George Soros and Zapatista-Commandante Marcos, solidarity speeches were heard including a representative of farmers groups, a trade union leader who was currently on hunger strike over government suppression of unionism, and one of Korea's most famous film actors speaking about the threat to the Korean film industry from US investment liberalisation.

Spain.

Barcelona's
day of action started at 8am when 25 people closed off two of the city's main streets, transforming one of them to look like a beach. Elsewhere 100 people took a piece of land where the police had demolished a squat after evicting it. They cleared the stones away, and by the end of the day there was a garden there, with vegetables, medicinal herbs and a little lake. The neighbours were impressed.

Bike demos started off during the late afternoon- one group of 13 cyclists riding in to join the main demonstration from 20km outside Barcelona managed to close the entire motorway. At 7pm all the groups converged in the Plaza Universtat for a Reclaim the Streets Party. The sound-system van broke down, so had to be pushed around the city by the 700 partygoers - who also covered the walls with anti-capitalist graffiti.

Madrid
A street party on June 18th ended 7 days of action for social rights. People partied under clothes lines strung across the street, in defiance of an archaic law which banned the practice. Earlier in the week the Spanish stock exchange was invaded by 100 individuals who occupied the traders' posts and papered over the trading board, disrupting trading for over an hour. An employment agency was also occupied during the week.

Ovideo, Aviles, Gijon (Asturias)
In all three cities, info stalls publicised the consequences of globalisation. Afterwards, banks, property developer's offices and McDonalds' branches were picketed. People gathered later in the evening outside the Asturias parliament for music, dancing and the painting of a mural.

Valencia
To the rhythm of drums, a carnival of 400 people wound its way through the streets of Valencia, stopping at Lladro's - one of Valencia's most hated land speculators, and on into the main financial centre.

Switzerland

Geneva
'At midday some 50 people washed down some of the main banks in the centre of the city with ladders, brooms, packing-cloths, water, and soap, getting a very good reaction from the public and also from the bank employees. Then in the evening, some 100 people made a mobile Carnival in the city, blocking the streets, painting them, dancing, serving black-current syrup to the car-drivers who got caught up in the traffic. Two small actions, but with lots of energy which has inspired people to plan an escalation of similar monthly actions.'

Zurich
'About 300 people - that's a lot for this small provinical town! - occupied a construction site in a part of Zurich which is being redeveloped along similar lines to London's docklands. It was a really great atmosphere - the best party for years. Two bands played, along with a rave and a screening of the Reclaim the Streets film. The police weren't too impressed of course, but who cares - they eventually left, and the party continued all night.'

Uruguay

Montevideo
The central square of the city was turned into a "trade fair" for the day, with entertainment and stalls informing about work, education, local culture, consumerism, media manipulation and free radio and other issues. The day was ended with a "recycled parade" through the city, during which the Banco de Montevideo and the stock exchange were also occupied.

Environmental and trade union campaigners worked together on this event, including workers of the "El Cine" supermarket who have been in occupation of the supermarket for the last two months.

USA

Asheville, North Carolina
Around one hundred protesters gathered for a street party, blockading the road using a broken down car. "Although small, we were in solidarity with thousands across the world!"

Austin, Texas
A critical mass bike ride of about 50 people turned into a street blockade as a construction barricade and chairs from a nearby cafe was moved into the street for a party. Abuse was shouted at the cops when they turned up, and they proceeded to snatch-squad three people.

Boston
More than 100 activists joined in a street theatre performance in front of Bank Boston in the centre of the city's financial district.

Bank Boston is closely connected to International Paper, a company involved in the exploitation of the Chiapas region of Mexico and the displacement of its people.

At the end of the day, the crowd promised to return, far stronger than before, to end the rule of capital over our lives.

Eugene
June 18th activities in Eugene Oregon kicked off with 20 arrested and eight police injured during a five hour Reclaim The Streets that saw bank windows smashed and tear gassing of demonstrators on what had been expected to be just a street party.

It is unclear just how events escalated. Corporate news accounts indicate that the initial spark may have come when police moved in after a protester climbed a U.S. Bank sign and put his fist through it.

By the end of the day several downtown banks, a leather retailer and a "Taco Bell" restaurant had lost windows. Unfortunately there were also reports that some people were behaving aggressively to drivers who got caught up in traffic jams. One person is currently in prison for the riot and facing five years.

Los Angeles
first Reclaim the Street party took place on June 18th. A truck full of an 'instant skatepark', with rails, launch ramps, and funboxes waited nearby but didn't manage to get past the police into the party but the soundsystem van did as did a trashed car which had been donated for people to graffiti. The party became mobile after a while to prevent the soundsystem being confiscated.

There were a total of 17 arrests. The police compounded the traffic chaos by keeping several blocks shut for hours after the RTS crew had all gone home, and even sent the bomb squad in to deal with the trashed car!

New York
A non-violent street carnival was organised to protest against the annual meeting of the Group of Eight (G8) economic superpowers.

For nearly 2 hours, 500 costume clad protesters took over the streets, tying up traffic in New York City's Financial District and rallying in front of the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street.

Five people were arrested as they attempted to chain themselves together around a large sculpture of a globe and another 32 for blocking traffic while taking over the streets.

Olympia
A Street party was held a few days before the big day, on June 12th. Police grabbed the signs cones and barricades used to block the streets, and then went to grab a couch, but were thwarted when loads of partygoers jumped onto it.

Washington, DC
600 demonstrators formed a human chain around the U.S. Treasury Department, co-ordinated by Jubilee 2000.The crowd was boisterous and participants chanted and sang and danced.

Worldwide

In solidarity with Mexico's Zapatista communities, the Electronic Disturbance Theater launched an international blockade of the Mexican embassy in London. 18,000 people from 49 countries joined the call to point their internet browsers at the embassy using a program which sends multiple reload commands to the website, clogging it up for the day.

Zimbabwe

Harare. The day was not marked by big demonstrations but five people were on the streets of Harare spreading information to raise awareness about globalisation issues.