ITALY: ACTIVISTS FROM ALL OVER EUROPE ARE ATTENDING THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM IN FLORENCE
Record ID:
649267
ITALY: ACTIVISTS FROM ALL OVER EUROPE ARE ATTENDING THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM IN FLORENCE
- Title: ITALY: ACTIVISTS FROM ALL OVER EUROPE ARE ATTENDING THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM IN FLORENCE
- Date: 7th November 2002
- Summary: (W5) FLORENCE, ITALY (NOVEMBER 8, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. PAN ACTIVISTS SLEEPING INSIDE SPORTS CENTRE 0.07 2. CU/LV VARIOUS OF ACTIVISTS IN SLEEPING BAGS (4 SHOTS) 0.21 3. MCU (English) SPANISH ACTIVIST SANTIAGO MORCADA SAYING: "The atmosphere here is so cool, no problems, no worries. All the people are waking up early to go to the conference and tomorrow everyone will be at the demo. We are going to win." 0.40 4. SLV/CU OF ACTIVISTS MAKING COFFEE (3 SHOTS) 0.48 5. LV SMALL GROUP OF ANARCHISTS SHOUTING TO INMATES OF LOCAL PRISON 0.51 6. SLV/LAS ANARCHISTS OUTSIDE PRISON (2 SHOTS) 1.01 7. SLV/CU POLICE OUTSIDE PRISON (2 SHOTS) 1.07 8. LV ANARCHISTS SHOUTING 1.18 9. LV PRISON GUARD WATCHING/INMATE WAVING HANDKERCHIEFS FROM WINDOW (2 SHOTS) 1.24 10. SLV PALAZZO DELLA SIGNORIA 1.32 11. SLV/CU POLICE ON HORSES (2 SHOTS) 1.42 12. SLV SHOP WINDOWS WITH WOODEN BARRICADES 1.45 13. SV POLICEMAN 1.49 14. PAN MORE SHOP WINDOWS WITH WOODEN BARRICADES 1.59 15. SLV POLICE 2.03 16. SLV POLICE ON MOTORBIKES 2.12 17. MCU (Italian) PRESIDENT OF FLORENCE'S MERCHANTS GUILD (CONFCOMMERCIO), PAOLO GRISO, SAYING: "Many shops that hadn't announced closures are shut. They announced they would close only on Saturday. I think the fact that they've changed their mind means that uncertainty prevails." 2.31 18. SLV JAPANESE TOURISTS ON THE PONTE VECCHIO 2.38 19. SLV POLICE 2.42 20. SLV MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM (ESF) CONFERENCE CENTRE (2 SHOTS) 2.51 21. CU SIGN READING: "People not profit. Peace not war" 2.54 (W5) FLORENCE, ITALY (NOVEMBER 7, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 22. MCU (Italian) NOBEL PRIZE WINNER, ITALIAN PLAYWRIGHT DARIO FO, SAYING: "I see great joy, a great desire to celebrate. I see desire to pursue this struggle not as a violent action but as a gesture of laughter. Laughter is what terrifies a society based on power." 3.17 23. SV MAN PUTTING ON BANNER 3.21 24. MCU (French) FRENCH REBEL FARMER, JOSE BOVE, SAYING: "Many forces in Europe have the clear objective to put civil society against the decisions of Brussels and of the states." 3.33 (W5) FLORENCE, ITALY (NOVEMBER 8, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 25. LV ACTIVISTS AT CONFERENCE CENTRE 3.35 26. CU CHE GUEVARA-TYPE BANNER WITH BIN LADEN'S FACE INSTEAD OF THAT OF CHE GUEVARA 3.37 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 22nd November 2002 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: FLORENCE, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Reuters ID: LVABM5B3XOUESD086H8FCDULETYV
- Story Text: Tens of thousands of activists have arrived in the
Renaissance city of Florence to take part in the first
European Social Forum, an attempt to unite the array of
anti-globalisation movements scattered across the continent.
The meeting will culminate on Saturday with a march
against possible U.S. military action against Iraq, with
150,000 people expected to attend.
Police and local merchants are concerned there could be
violence at the march but activists are certain their anti-war
demonstration will be peaceful but strong.
About 37,000 activists from all over Europe are
attending the European Social Forum in the art city of
Florence. The meeting will culminate on Saturday when more
than 150,000 people are expected to take part in an anti-war
march.
"The atmosphere here is so cool, no problems, no worries.
All the people are waking up early to go to the conference
and tomorrow everyone will be at the demo," said Spanish
activist Santiago Morcada, who travelled 20 hours to get to
Florence from Barcellona and was stopped 4 times by police
along the way.
"We are going to win," Santiago added.
The Forum has been a cause of concern for the Italian
security forces, anxious to avoid a repeat of Genoa G8 summit
in 2001 when violent clashes between protesters and police
erupted that left one demonstrator dead.
Merchants in the Renaissance city also feared possible
violence and many closed their shops till next week.
The atmosphere at the Forum so far has been peaceful and
many think fears by police and merchants alike have been
exaggerated.
"Many shops that hadn't announced closures are shut. They
announced they would close only on Saturday. I think the fact
that they've changed their mind means that uncertainty
prevails," said Paolo Griso, the president of Florence's
merchants guild.
Begun as a demonstration against a meeting of the World
Trade Organisation in November 1999, the anti-globalisation
movement has ever since made headlines for its violent
protests against the IMF, the WTO and the G8, from Seattle to
Genoa.
But after the September 11 attacks and President George W.
Bush's declaration that "You're either with us or against us"
the movements rallies have been notable for their lack of
violence.
"I see great joy, a great desire to celebrate said Nobel
prize winner," Dario Fo, a leading Italian intellectual who
attended the Forum.
"I see desire to pursue this struggle not as a violent
action but as a gesture of laughter. Laughter is what
terrifies a society based on power," Fo continued.
The Florence meeting seems to be focusing on issues
related to war and peace as well as on a search of new
identity for the movement.
But while the movement seems to be looking for new
directions and some of its core issues, like social justice,
debt relief and poverty reduction, are more accepted in
mainstream politics, activists think there is still a long way
to go.
"Many forces in Europe still have the clear objective to
put civil society against the decisions of Brussels and of the
(United) states," said one of the movement's symbols, French
rebel farmer Jose Bove.
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