arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)

The World Bank is concerned about the growing impact and prescence of protests against global capitalism, an internal memo from the World Bank reveals. The memo, obtained by the Independent Media Center of Washington, D.C., has been appearing on internal World Bank kiosks.

The posting is reprinted exactly as it was obtained:

Kiosk Announcements
Increased Security Awareness in Europe

"Following the Prague Annual Meetings and in light of the continued detention of several protesters by Czech authorities, we have witnessed a significant increase in protest activity against World Bank offices and staff. These
actions are related to anti-capitalist/anti-globalization groups and their condemnation of the arrests of their fellow protesters in Prague.

"Actions carried out against both Bank and Fund offices have concentrated on sit-ins, protests, and in one case office occupation. Reported threats against staff have also been on the rise, particularly in Europe. In England and in Spain protesters with prior knowledge of Bank staff recruiting on college campuses disrupted events. The staff encountered verbal abuse, heckling, interruptions of their meetings, and in one case an assault with a Cream Pie.

"Security sources outside of the Bank have observed that anti-globalization groups are becoming more violent.mThey indicate that many of the factions are continuing their actions around the globe regarding the WTO, G-8, G-20,
IMF or World Bank. This week a G-20 meeting is the target and November 16-18 the Trans Atlantic Business Dialogue in Cincinnati, Ohio is the venue.

"Lastly, it may be prudent to avoid Berlin on November 4. German neo-Nazis are calling for a mass gathering in Berlin on November 4 to protest efforts to ban far-right political parties. Authorities have outlawed the rally, but the extremists plan to ignore the ban."

World Bank Security