Police attack G20 protesters at Melbourne Museum : Melbourne Indymedia

Sunday afternoon a group of 50 demonstrators were beaten and trampled by police during a peaceful anti-G20 protest inside the foyer of the Melbourne museum.

A woman was severely injured after police used batons and fists to disperse the small group of singing, dancing demonstrators. Several hundred police, including two divisions of riot police, were deployed in the incident.

The group consisted mostly of women and included musicians and children. “We were given no warning and were not asked to leave before police charged.” Said one of the demonstrators. Members of the group were badly shaken after the event, and the severely injured woman was hospitalised with suspected broken ribs.

“We were singing and dancing at the front of the Melbourne Museum, as a non-violent way of publicly raising our concerns about the G20”, said one of the demonstrators. “Without warning we were baton-charged by heaps of cops. It was frightening, especially when a couple of busloads of riot police turned up afterwards.”

Police only called an ambulance to attend to the injured woman 10 minutes after the incident, despite repeated requests from members of the group.

Protesters afterwards attempted to disperse peacefully, but were followed for twenty minutes by a large police contingent.

Today's incident follows on from two days of protesting against the G20, a gathering of finance ministers, reserve bank governors and the heads of the IMF and World Bank.

Finally some pictures that show the police acting with no cause. If people were gathering illegally (which is usually the charge from the cops), then they are at least given a thirty second warning. From these pictures, it appears that the police are acting with no reason. If anyone can provided pictures to prove otherwise, please post them. All the posts and pictures those far show only one side. If this is indy media, we need both sides to allow ourselves to draw our on conclusions.

This weekend has seen dis-illusioned youth more concerned about the adrenelin rush and the power rush of protesting, attacking police, causing mischief and vandalising than wanting to find ways help people in need around the world. The atrocious conditions of many people in the world have not been caused by western powers but can be solved by the western powers via dialogue, politics, and peaceful demonstations. Hate and anger are not the answer. As Mother Teresa once commented, I'll not attend an anti-war rally, but would attend a peace rally.

This type of police action is what should be repudiated. We need to demand from the government, both Victorian and Australian, a public statement condenming police brutality that we have seen in the last few days and the proper investigation of their actions. People have got beaten up for protesting against yet another form of violence, which is even worse, that of poverty and inequality, caused by many of the state and business representatives that were meeting this weekend in Melbourne.
If we are serious about our demands of peace, justice and distribution of wealth, let's first of all, condemn police brutality, I suggest we hold a rally at the Victoria Police Centre, which is on 637 Flinders Street.
Then, let's hold a debate about what has happened these days, I suggest everyone who has had anything to do with organising the protests, been to the protest or can contribute with the debate, comes along. We can use it as a debriefing but also to face the deeper divisions that we face when people use different tactics when protesting.
Finally, I would like to express my solidarity with those who have been beaten up, whether in Parliament, Treasury Gardens or Immigration Museum, or kidnapped by the police in RMIT.
I hope you get better. Let’s keep talking, but let’s do it face to face.
Marta

the police were definately on the hunt today... i was told they also raided food not bombs...

Listen, you pitiful little pussycats. If you attack police, don't expect the rest of us to get upset if they hit you back.
I despair at the level of victimhood you 2006-style radicals display. Back in the 60s and 70s, we gave no quarter and expected none. We certainly didn't bleat and moan when the cops did what they're paid to do.
And learn to spell, for Christ's sake. Most of you appear to be semiliterate, at best.
Cheers!

"The atrocious conditions of many people in the world have not been caused by western powers but can be solved by the western powers via dialogue, politics, and peaceful demonstations."

I'm sorry but the current state of the world has been caused by the western empire and the global system that it brought to life.

Your post reeks of wishy washy liberalism. It saddens me to hear this crap - especially on indymedia.

Pretty global Capitalism is still global Capitalism. At the core of neoliberal Capitalism - corporate globalization, is the idea that markets if left to themselves will solve every problem. This has been proven to not be the case and in fact every social, environmental and economic problem imaginable has gotten worse.

How do you regulate such a market with 'politics' when a direct result of the market is the homogenization of politics?

This system cannot be reformed.

Also please do not assume to know what alternatives the protesters advocate.. Calling these protests violent does violence to the word violent. If you call protesters clashing with aggressive police violence than what is an F16 bomber?

Hey Parser,

What evidence do you have that the demonstrators were attacking the police? From the likes of the video it appears that the police assault was incommensurate with the incursion (simply playing music, a bit of boisterous festivity).

And your holier than thou "back in the 60s" attitude really unercuts any real legal repraisals that we can adopt against this episode of police brutality. We all know where the once 'revolutionary' 60s baby boomers are now....sitting comfy in their skyscrapper citadels, May '68 but a distant alumni nostalgia.

Could the victims of this police raid get together some legal advice and sue the police? This attack seems particularly vicious (on women and unarmed musicians). PLEASE......let us not just leave this just on the level of online edification, but rather get together to furthur compromise the image of the Victorian Police.

In the process, the public might view the events of the Stop G20 protests fropm a slightly more charitable and non-linear perspective. And the agrieved of this episode might feel less vulnerable to future police assaults. get together and launch a case!

We've all seen the way protesters attacked police. Even here on Indymedia.

Do you really expect anyone to believe these lies?

If there was any violence, we know who started it. The "anarchist" thugs.

People, keep perspective here, whos killed half a million people in Iraq ? Who turns a blind eye when Israel kills 75 palestinians of hundreds of lebanese? Violence ? Let me laugh, this is hipocrisy pure and simple from the media.

although I have been thinking the best and most deserving course of action vis a vis the police might be the amputation of all their legs just below the knee, but slightly lower on one side than the other so theyre on a slight and amusing lean.

The cynicism sickens me. Some of sound like you could be Andrew Bolt himself sitting there thinking up bullshit rhetorical puke just for fun on a Sunday night after whipping up the next days mindless drivel column of corporate arse-licking.

Saddened, are you going to post that same stupid paragraph on every indymedia page? You think the third world brought their conditions on themselves? Thats a good start to world peace! And I supposed all rich people were just always born rich forever and ever amen?

You better watch those spelling mistakes. Sounds like your boyfriend Parser might take a police baton to you if there are any more minor errors. He might just lump you in with every masked rebel that ever confronted authority and suggest that you get lined up and shot.

Since when did any 70's radical ever come out and support the police for beating them up? Get real. As if anyone who reads this website believes your bullshit.

i am from the states , and police here regularly profile races , i have been threatened merely for TALKING back to a racist who was harassing ME!!. ''violence''? how bout dead palestinians and sudanese. 650, 000 iraqis , and they think ''demonstrators'' with costumes are worth worrying about!

There's no justification for violence except in sefl defence. In this case the peaceful protestors are getting the shit beaten out of them in what I would say is retaliation for a few broken windows on that police truck.

The state is violent - that is how power asserts itself and keeps control over people.

If anything, the police needed to be seen to be repressing the protestors (no matter if they were doing nothing but singing and dancing) because they have to provide provocation. Provacation gives them cause to act violently with impunity and it makes good tv footage. the bosses and thus satisfied and the world goes on believing the state and police are thier to protect us.

Why should we care about those 1000's of miles away when someone next to us has been injured?

Do you want us to turn our backs on our own people and instead mouthe concerns, expressed in verbal conceits, for those we have never known, never will know and never want to know.

I care more about any one of those people at the g20 protest (no matter how they are dressed) who have been injured than all the people you mention in your serious and pompous tones.

I help the people next to me, I don't have time for those who "talk-talk-talk" about those "who are suffering" on the other side of the earth.

It was fashionable in the French Aristocracy of the 18th century to "feel sorry" for those "primitives" in Africa who suffered so much. These parasites of the French people got what they deserved - the guillotine. Today we are afflicted by another "aristocracy" who fashionably talk about the "iraqis" the "dafur refugees" the "palestinians". It's about time to bring the guillotine out again and to sharpen its blade.

If we are forced to "care" about iraqis-refugees-palestinians-whoever, and encouraged to ignore our own people who have been attacked and injured then I'll fly the next Enola-Gay and gladly.

If we really want responsive community policing...and reporting we will have to outsource the work to police, decent attractive human-beings who know what democracy is.
People from India, Indonesia or Hong Kong.

This military-entertainment complex is out-of-control and there are far too many pigs. Too many filthy corrupt, rapist, torturing, murdering pigs and their scumbag media apologists and not enough justice.

Outsource the labor and sack the all the filthy scum.
Thats my 2c worth.

Cheers to all those that had the guts and commitment to go to G20 and remind the powers that be that the working class aren't all going to sit idly by while their countries, futures and rights are sold out from under them.

As for those that whine about the "few bad eggs" that turn things ugly, the JOB of riot police is to be violent and to cause violence. Blaming protestors for fighting back is kinda like blaming a kitten for scratching the dog that attcks it.

When it comes to Global-lies-ation and "Free-Market Facism" (Corpocracy), we can't say violence isn't the answer until we understand the question.

cheers

SCART
-The Molotov

http://www.scart69.net/themolotov/

I am shocked at some of the comments in here, there is not a solution to any of the problems in any of the posts. just hate breeding hate.

I think the overall picture the world has is that Australians are a bunch of thugs, both sides of the fence.

If it were truly peaceful then it would have looked peaceful. I didnt see peaceful, I didnt hear peaceful.

It was as embarrassing as Cronulla.

well done to all involved, lets see if next time you can actually kill someone!

As to outsourcing the services, do you think that community policing will do any better? Media? nope they will become the new enemy to a new breed of malcontents.

These are crazy times we live in for sure and it really scares me to think what will happen next...

I cannot dispute the use of violence in self-defence or defence of others. The actions of police at the Museum was revenge, pure and simple. And because of the actions of a minority at Saturday's rally, in the eyes of Mr and Mrs Average, the police had a licence to do what they did. And they probably won't complain when the government introduces even more laws to limit/oppress civil liberties. It used to be that the govt. employed agent-provocateurs to incite violence and get the public on side with images of seemingly unprovoked attacks on cops/property. Now it seems that there are some among us who are prepared to do the job for them.

Protests promoted as peaceful are intended to be inclusive of everyone in the community. We need to be mindful of the rights of those around us and the possible repercussions of our actions on them. Because we are all going to be tarred with the same brush in the end. The fallout is a public blind to any ensuing police violence, stricter laws, harsher penalties/sentences, more funding for the criminal justice system (so more cops, prisons).

If we are going to smash barricades and confront authority proactively it needs to be in context. G20 is fairly alien to many Australians, it's implications in world affairs etc. Not something easy for the public to connect with, like, say the Poll Tax in the UK. This was probably reflected in the small number of ppl that showed up. I know the object of the protest was to raise public awareness but unfortunately most ppl will only equate the negative media images with it now and not really comprehend why we were there at all.

We need to really weigh up the pros and cons of tactics in each situation. And realise that what works well/looks good overseas does not always translate well here/in our situation.

Just checking the mainstream news, it looks like the community outrage at the disruption to business and commuters due to some fat cat fest and the positive press given to the events in opposition to G20 has been replaced by community outrage at the behaviour of "anarchists, ferals, terrorists, unwashed hippies....(insert preferred sub-culture here)" and calls for tougher law and order policies. Just before the state election and during the debate on new public safety laws. Great.

donna

well written Donna,

it only takes a few and the message is lost, there is no use crying fowl because no one is listening.

If however the police came in and bashed people sitting on the ground or standing peacefully and there were no police casualties, no broken vehicles, no stormed McDonalds then maybe there would be a public ear

otherwise it is for no use...

This is a link to some video footage, it does tally with the story of no particular provocation, offense, or warning. Of course police always have some charge because the laws are designed that way. You cannot breathe without committing some offense. "Be pure, be vigilant, behave."

http://www.engagemedia.org/Members/EngageMedia/videos/MELBOURNE_MUSEUM_POLICE_VIOLENCE_VOICEOVER.mov/view

"As for those that whine about the 'few bad eggs' that turn things ugly, the JOB of riot police is to be violent and to cause violence. Blaming protestors for fighting back is kinda like blaming a kitten for scratching the dog that attcks it."

Sure, we know in advance that the "police" resort to all sorts of underhanded tactics to provoke conflict. So why do protestors fall for it?

And there are "protestors" who want nothing more than a good fight, just the same.

But the rest of us do not need to fall for it, and the media should wise up and report more responsibly -- but they do not seem to have a business model that can support responsible reporting. For the time being, in this country, we cannot expect that from media.

If the police attack you and you cannot defend yourself or your friends, there is no loss in running away. The footage is still as dramatic, if not more so.

That is not "giving them what they want". What they do want, the folks like the ones ("police" apparently) in this case, is violence. If you let them do it, or respond in kind, THEN you are giving them what they want.

Many small contributions achieve much more than a few people trying to make improportionate change individually. To successfully defeat this violent state, the objective should be to educate and draw in the vast majority who do not benefit directly from the violence, and to show there can be life without systemic violence and depredation.

Look at the movements of Gandhi and the US Black Civil Rights movement in the 60's, where major changes were achieve by gently showing the hypocricy, and asking for understanding.

If you believe that violent confrontation will change a violent system, you are wrong. The main financial dealings of this system revolve around arms and militarisation/prisonisation. Do you think that they are afraid of violent conflict? If so, I think you are mistaken.

why shouldn't protestors want a good fight? There's a good fight to be had. These people deserve to be fought.

One thing is clear - the only action the State will allow is action it can then contain through the media.

If protest action was a real threat - in any way - the police response would be far more violent.

That is to say, it doesn't matter in what way political action is effective. If it is effective, the state will respond with violence, inprisonment, and media slurs. The more effective it is, the more violence will be used against demonstrators.

Point is, it doesn't matter which tactic is successful - violent or non-violent. The response will be the same.

It is worth considering which tactics are helpful. But not from the point of view of trying to change the authorities response... what they're concerned about is that a protest action might reveal some unpleasant truth.

Given that the stakes are high - if we were successful in any ultimate sense the current government would be facing war crimes - the State will use any and all means at its disposal.

Say, for example, there is a ludicrously successful SMS and letter box leaflet drop campaign, and the Government feels threatened by it. The response? Violence, media slurs, and the full weight of the law.

If we ever push them enough - threaten them enough - they will use deadly force a la Tiananmen Square. REGARDLESS OF THE DEGREE OF VIOLENCE USED BY THE PROTESTORS.

http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/hidden.php?id=131243

David you seem to value creativity. You are arguing on a page that show pictures of innocent and peaceful people being beaten savagely in an obvious reprise for the actions of a few, that it doesn't matter what methods you use. So why fight a fight you can't win ie; physical. These guys are war mongers, you think a pack of anarchists are going to scratch them?

It's funny how arguments can go from "get real, this isn't an ideal world" to completely ignoring the harsh reality that cops are shit and so is the media and you're never going to win by banging your head against it. Get smart, get creative, have fun and love other people in the process.

Funny how only selective stills from an alleged video have been posted.

I wonder why.

Perhaps because if viewed in its entirety, it might depict the actions of protestors which gave rise to the police response.

And we can't have that, can we? You know, the full story and all.

And there appears to be no 'children' as claimed by one of the above fuckwits. Just dreadlocked imbeciles; standard fare for this type of activity.

Post the entire, unedited video, you prejudiced tool.

Otherwise FUCK OFF back to the sewer from whence you came.

God bless.

what you call 'an obvious reprise' I call a publicity stunt to increase police funding/powers...

my point is just that the police were going to do what they were going to do, regardless. If the arterial bloc hadn't been there, some other incident would have been seized on by media and police as a demonstration of the subhumanity of the protestors.

It's the same every time, and every time the demonstrators agonise over how they are portrayed and how they have behaved.

Im not saying different methods aren't worth thinking about or that tactics in general shouldn't be considered. I'm saying NONE of this should happen in response to MEDIA and POLICE generated incidents. Sure, effective means should be considered. But considering it in the light of the commercial media response is playing the other side's game.

Personally I think it's going to take a civil war and the death of the State to make a significant change in this country ... which is going to be rough on those of us who don't have the guns. They'll be using brutality and overwhelming force, and we'll have to be creative. A combination of violent and non-violent means is probably the most effective - purely hypothetically, of course.

It's worth considering that the guys now being hunted by police for their actions against the State are also being attacked by those they demonstrated with. What they did may not meet with the non-violent principles of some, but they did put themselves on the line.

There's going to have to be a lot more of people putting themselves on the line in that kind of uncompromised, definitely breaking the law kind of way. Which takes courage and the recognition that a safe and comfortable existence is incompatible with serious political effort.

Imbecile Spotter... the commercial media coverage of the G20 event is massively slanted in one direction, but you want fair balanced treatment of the authorities at an Indymedia site? I think you might be addressing your words of complaint to the wrong people.

the idea of an 'unbiased' media is totalitarianism in disguise. People of different political perspectives live in different worlds, constructed differently. There is no middle ground - no 'reality' to refer to to sort the whole mess out.

If you think there IS such a hard and fast reality, that's probably one of the most significant political difference at issue. From where I'm standing the world's a series of fictions - fiction begins where human perception does.

To the majestic walker in the pink and black striped arm warmers - thank you. You have delivered much grace unto my drunkard heart.

Oh what a wonderful protest. The aggressive protest this weekend can surely only cause more people to take up the cause and surely not alienate the protest views represented from the general public. Who could have predicted or known that the general media would have focused on the more "exciting" incidents and images from aggressive protestors and hence leave no emphasis on the messages that the protestors were trying to get across! Surely this was the only way that the protest could be conducted as there is no freedom of speech here and no democratically elected representatives of the people. The general public will surely be rallying to take up the cause and the government will have no choice but to listen due to the ground swell of support! For the protest leaders and many other protestors to turn a blind eye or to support the violence and vandalism rather than condemning it surely will do more good than harm to the cause for getting more people involved! Not that it matters though because surely even a small, alienated group with no support will be able change the world!
If those living in poverty knew of the actions this weekend how proud they would be. Certain protestors creating confrontation surely not for any thrill or enjoyment but only for the good of the planet. As we all know if there is violence in the world than this surely justifies more violence. When your cause is noble then surely any actions you commit in the name of the cause, no matter how violent or immoral they may be, must also be noble!
How proud and smart must those protestors be to effectively get the message out to the public and not draw any attention away from their message with their behaviour!

Bloody cops taking revenge for Saturday.

I think there is way too much hype from what was maybe ten minutes of real violence on Saturday.
The media are scum who will do anything to turn a fairly peaceful demo into a "riot".

But even though there was some violence (which i think there always will be on anti-capiatlist demos) we still took the emphasis off the G20, the real pity is all the hype.

I personally can't feel sympathy for the cops whose van got smashed.

lol
but at least she's an articulate loser who's a good human with a constructive point well made

on the other hand you might be the kind of 'winner' who hasn't yet learned more than a few basic phrases in your first language, and can't string a series of thoughts together.

I wasn't there,
but this evening I interviewed someone who was.
they confirmed that :

1. it was a peaceful gathering outside, about 40 people dancing to music, efore the pigs came on the scene with a few scores to settle.

2. the woman photographed being helped towards an ambulance was beaten by pigs until she went into convulsions.

3. the pigs deliberately overturned a pram carrying a child.

I should point out that I've used my own words : the person I interviewed politely called the pork 'policemen'.

This is consistent with my experience at s11 when, after a long hard day where our numbers prevented most delegates getting in, the pigs took it out on fluffy dancers a long way from the action.

I say ; we don't bring the violence. the violence is inherent when the world's economic leaders gather and refuse to address the pressing issues of global poverty and planetary meltdown.

I'm sure there were some dickheads there that were just after the thrill of standing up to the pigs for the sake of it,
but I'm also sure that if we all did what the socialist leaders told us, the tv would still make us all look like dickheads. you know, like show a cop bashing a hippy while the voiceover talks about violent protestors.
so stuff the dickheads, AND stuff the socialist leaders.
the rest of us know what we are on about,
and that's what matters to me.

I watched ABC tonight, and yeah they said 'violent protestors' and made bono look smart, but at the end of the day, they got the issues about environmental destruction and senseless global poverty right up there, so who cares if bono takes credit for everyone's good werk.

thank you to everyone who came to G20 without an invitation.

A fairly repulsive bit of reporting, that video. Full of obvious hyperbole, almost to the extent that it makes no literal sense. If that's the alternative to the corporate media, give me the corp. every time.

David, you're a fool if you believe there is no objective reality. While we're using the internet to exchange stories by a variety of media, let me tell you one using the written word rather than poorly produced video. It's a story about a solipsist and a philosopher. One day they were walking through the grounds of a farm and as they walked, the solipsist gave his view that all reality was perception and that he, as the only certain being in the universe, could control it merely by altering his perception. Spying a pitchfork with the middle tine missing standing in a hay bale nearby, the philosopher made his answer by picking up this implement and pinning the solipsist securely by his neck against a tree. Try as he might, the solipsist could not pull the fork free, and the philosopher left him to his struggles.

Come morning, the philosopher returned to find the former solipsist still attached to the tree by the neck and entirely disabused of his notion that perception was reality, because no amount of thinking and wishing could free him from that compromising position. The same lesson could be learned by anyone who thinks that perception alone equates to reality.

My point, other than that your high school level philosophy is bunk, is that the police that were bitten would take no comfort in the idea that perception is reality. If they have caught some kind of disease from those revolting injuries, no amount of wishing will make it go away. Likewise, no amount of wishing will have made the cause of these protests any more righteous, or the use of violence any more acceptable.

ye okay I oversimplified philosophically,
noticed it just after I'd posted without rereading.

Concede a reality of sorts, particularly of the stratified variety that you can't untie yourself from whatever metaphysical convolutions are attempted. Same phenomenon in semiotic systems.

I wished after posting I'd said there was no ultimate HUMAN reality, because - as I said - it's at the point of perception that construction begins, and communication is always a reconstruction of the original perceptual fictions.

My perspective may not be the same as yours - really my argument is that philosophical world views and political ideologies coincide in individuals, creating irresolvable gulfs of understanding.

I'm as frustrated by solipcism and the absolute constructivism as it sounds you are.

All Im saying is that there's no common human experience of reality, because to a large extent we construct our individual and collective experiences of it, often without challenging the axioms that define the way we see the world.

Different set of basic axioms, fundamental differences that can't be resolved. Russellian versus Godelian is a mathematical framing of one relevant dichotomy. Newtonian versus Einsteinean is a physical iteration of a similar pair of dichotomous Umwelt.

Anyway... there is a reality, so my 'high school' philosophy isn't as divergent from your own as my error made it appear. It's just that we don't have any more - ever - than a fragmented, partial, perception or understanding of it.

having said that.. your perceptions on the protest are from my perspective not only fictional, but poorly written, hopelessly misguided fictions that are not even CLOSE in representing reality, because your axioms are all wrong. That is you view cause and effect differently - inversely. Your constructed universe operates on rules that are not only inaccurate but ugly and damaging.

Can appreciate the same is true in reverse.

ITS TIME PEOPLE PEACE DEMOSRTRATIONS NEVER WORKED IN ALL OF HUMANITY,WE ARE CONTROLLED LIKE CATTLE RAISED TO BE KILLED,ITS TIME PEOPLE FOR ANARCHY

If you wish to make complaints regarding police behaviour at the G20 protests call the G20 Emergency Legal Support Hot Line 0400 634 918 or contact your local community legal service.

You were attacking police and got firmly but politely pushed out of the way.

Jesus you reds couldnt lie straight in bed.

The "injured" little pipsqueak lying down on the ground had minor injuries as well, it was just a LITTLE bit put on.

Had a look at the pics, but what is more interesting is the diversity of views being expressed in the comments section. It’s always interesting to see people interpret pictures and information and integrate these with their already held beliefs. Amazing how two opposing parties can read the same information, or be exposed to the same images and yet can be equally convinced that the evidence overwhelmingly supports their position. The brain does a splendid job of perpetuating unconscious confirmation bias. We may think we are using our reasoning functions (and thus expect to see activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex), but an fMRI would more likely show activity in the part of the brain associated with processing emotions, resolving conflict and making judgements about moral accountability. Eventually, when we come to a conclusion we might see some activity in the ventral striatum, the part of the brain associated with reward and pleasure.

Perhaps if were inclined to see that there are a lot more opinions and a lot less facts in this world, we might be better placed in coping with life, which is rarely black and white, but generally occupies the grey areas.

I was pointed to this site by someone on a forum where we're discussing whether or not violant protest is a valid expression of an ideology. Frankly the comments many here are making are sickening. Whereas prior to reading them I was sort of in agreement as to the heavy handedness of police I am now steadfastly supportive of them and their actions at the G20 and other international meetings.

Now it's all well and good to want to make the world a better place and help those who are worse off then ourselves but to think that going to a meeting of world leaders and singing a few songs, waving about placards and throwing the occasional brick at the cops is going to help those unfortunate people is deluded. You don't like the way western governments are acting, try intelligent argument, try mainstream media as a means of propegating your message. Don't turn up to these meeting with supposedly "peaceful" intentions and then cry foul when a (usually) small group of tools decideds to get violent.

The inccident at the Melbourne Museum as far as I can see has not been investigated to a degree which allows me to draw conclusions as to whether or not police acted properly. Police are doing their jobs, they should not be expected to take the shit some of these protesters through at them. The police do a very tough job and idiots like these people just make that job harder. Is it any wonder that sometimes (very rarely in this country) police loose their cool and lash out.

Because we don't generally know all the facts, we must be aware that any opinion we hold may be wrong. So I would think a reasonable person would have to be pretty certain of their opinions before they'd resort to violence based on them. I doubt any of the protesters using violence at G20 had thought their political opinions through to the kind of conclusion that could morally support their actions.

David, I find your writing similarly difficult to read, although I'm glad you don't substitute numbers for text.

glx, your simple philosophy is so attractive, but quite unworkable.

my immediate reaction is that, unfortunately, the world's economic leaders do not apply the same level of caution as they wreak their violent destruction upon the planet.
Similarly, working to maintain economic systems which keep many hundreds of thousands of people in unacceptably miserable levels of poverty is itself a form of violence.

Do Costello and his world bank buddies know all the facts?
maybe; probably not.
regardless, they impose their flavour of violence with impunity.

I doubt any of the financial leaders applying economic violence at G20 had thought their political opinions through to the kind of conclusion that could morally support their actions.

Is it Peter Costello's job to help all the underprivelaged people living in poverty in SE Asia and Africa or is it his job to run, develop and expand the Australian economy. I mean personally I thought it was the later but obviously i'm mistaken.

Sure i'm all for wealthy nations aiding smaller, poorer ones but as our treasurer it is his primary job to administer our economy.

lol economy is bunk
yesterday's paradigm...
you're living in the past.. and Costello
caught up in a fiction of profit and wealth and Success
its all nonsense - its resource management - should not have to be the be all and end all of a society... its like an obsession with plumbing.

Its exactly as though you just came in here and said 'Oh, ye, but should we be building sewage systems in tiny pacific countries when we've got our own shit to move through pipes' .... smalll things

The point of being 'wealthy' is that resource management shouldn't be a big concern. Having dispensed with the humdrum matter of distributing stuff, a rich culture then looks about for something to actually DO

revise.

The Daily Fiction
by just parsing by... Wednesday November 22, 2006 at 05:51 PM

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This is hilarious
by GWBUSHisCOOL Tuesday November 21, 2006 at 03:28 PM

I was pointed to this site by someone on a forum ...
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Oh, really?

What forum would that be?

Is it just possible that these protesters had breached a barrier ? Also, when large number of wierd people enter a building to protest, based on track record, they might also have intended to trash the place.
The idea that the police did not ask them to leave is ludicrous and sounds like an outright lie.
I saw the video, and the commentary was quite different from the obvious physical facts.
It was the demonstrators who ATTACKED the Museum, then the police DEFENDED it....vigorously.
Remember the actions of the white scum who trashed the police van ? That was in their minds I'm sure.

lol foolish child you're letting the brainless, vicious temperament of the far Right show.. where's your veneer of Democracy and Reason?

acually no we did not cross any line <b>whatsoever<b> and were NEVER instructed to move on which i believe is illegal!

GOSH! dem cops broke the law! GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! no way! but i trusted them to serve and protect!!! GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! tryin to catch me ridin dirty!