Will the Anti-Globalization Demonstration be Restrained

Around 3,000 anti-globalization demonstrators rallied peacefully in Calgary, Canada on the 23rd before the G8 Summit. They gathered in Calgary, which is 100km away from the meeting place, Cananaskis, Canada, and rallied with signs saying ‘forgive Africa a debt’ and ‘no more greed for corporations,’ but there was no conflict with police.

The Canadian government worked hard to prevent any untoward incidents as much as the success of the Summit itself. It selected Cananaskis as the meeting place because it had only one two-way road toward the city. It offered 300,000 Canadian dollars (approximately 240 million won) to Stony Indians in Alberta and prevented them to provide spaces to the anti-globalization demonstrators. The city government of Calgary also prohibited the use of city stadiums and parks.

As a result, there is a good chance that the months’ of effort of the anti-globalization demonstrators to have a demonstration festival through performances and seminars near the Summit place would be cancelled.

However, the demonstrators, who gave up Cananaskis, are gathering in Ottawa, which is 3,500Km away from there, so, the Canadian government is still tense. That is because there always were radical demonstrations whenever major international events were held. Last year’s G8 Summit in Genoa, Italy, one was killed and hundreds were injured because of demonstrations.

Hye-Yoon Park parkhyey@donga.com