WEF threat to leave caused baton charge

BY SUSAN PRICE

MELBOURNE — World Economic Forum officials threatened to "pack up and go home" at the end of the summit's first day on September 11 if police could not ensure more delegates were brought into the conference on time on September 12, Victorian Trades Hall secretary Leigh Hubbard has revealed.

Hubbard said the information was from "a very reliable source". He was speaking at a September 14 media conference announcing plans by the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance to support its members' legal action against police. Several journalists and camera operators were beaten by police during the blockade.

S11 Alliance spokesperson Jorge Jorquera told Green Left Weekly, "This displays the success of first day's action, but more importantly it confirms that the escalation in police violence on the Tuesday, when it got increasingly vicious, was politically motivated. Premier Steve Bracks gave the cops the instruction, and he should be held entirely responsible."

Cam Walker, from the S11 Alliance and Friends of the Earth, agrees. "It certainly explains the turnaround in police behaviour from the Monday. Police officers we spoke to on the gates on the Tuesday couldn't actually explain why there'd been a change in the situation, except to say that the decisions were coming from high up."

"What's most disturbing is that Bracks has come out again in the media", added Walker, "determined to defend the actions of police and saying that we deserved what we got".

From GLW issue 421