- Title: JAPAN: Anti-G8 demonstrators condemn tough police tactics
- Date: 5th July 2008
- Summary: (BN10)SAPPORO, JAPAN (JULY 5, 2008) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ANTI-G8 PROTESTERS SHOUTING AT POLICE TRYING TO DETAIN PROTESTER IN TRUCK POLICE FORCIBLY TAKING PROTESTER FROM TRUCK VARIOUS OF POLICE MOVING PROTESTER ALONG POLICE PUTTING PROTESTER INTO POLICE CAR CAR LEAVING AND POLICE BLOCKING MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) 19-YEAR-OLD HANNAH AULBY FROM AUSTRALIAN NGO SAYING: "The fact there is so many police here and such a long sentence, 23 days, just for being arrested, I think, does lessen people's voice. I think the government has a lot to learn from the public voice and from the people's opinion, so I think it's really a shame that people are scared to say what they need to say." (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) 35-YEAR-OLD SOUTH KOREAN PROTESTER CHO YACK-DOL SAYING: "Did we attempt to do something criminal here? Not at all. We're here to express our political opinion. Now, the G8 summit is about to be held and those small number of countries will gather and discuss the important issues in the world arbitrarily. We're allowed to declare against the matter." PROTESTERS MARCHING MASKS PROTESTERS HOLDING MASKS OF G8 LEADERS PROTESTERS MARCHING
- Embargoed: 20th July 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Japan
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Police,International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVAWXO570M09VCNVVI7IQU92E6Y
- Story Text: Anti-G8 protesters marching through the streets of the Japanese city of Sapporo to denounce the Group of Eight (G8) summit on Saturday condemn the arrests of some of their number amid heightened security measures.
Police made at least four arrests as about 2,000 people marched through the streets of Sapporo, the capital of Japan's northern island of Hokaaido, on Saturday(July 5) to protest against a Group of Eight summit due to start next week.
Although the protesters generally marched peacefully, scuffles broke out with police around a truck in the middle of the march.
Two people were arrested for violating the public safety ordinances and two others for interfering with police activities, a police official said.
A Reuters cameraman was taken away by police but it was not immediately clear if he was among the four arrested.
Protesters criticized the arrests, saying their rights were being violated.
Hannah Aulby from an Australian NGO said the fact there were so many police there and the sentence if arrested was 23 days did lessen people's voice. But she said the government should listen to the people.
South Korean protester Cho Yack-dol, who arrived in Sapporo last month for the anti-G8 protests, said they were there to express a political opinion.
The one-and-a-half hour march by Japanese and foreign activists, citizen groups and non-governmental organisations (NGO's) took place under heavy security ahead of the July 7-9 summit of the rich nations which takes place at the hot spring and lake resort of Toyako 70 km (45 miles) away.
A police source estimated the crowd at 2,000 to 3,000.
Summits of the G8, which bring together the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States each year, have become a magnet for protesters angry about an array of issues including climate change and the effects of globalisation.
Japan is concerned about violent protests as well as acts of terrorism during the summit and has tightened security around the country.
Around 21,000 police officers are being deployed in Hokkaido and domestic media have said a similar number have been mobilised in Tokyo. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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