Police officers keep order in front of a
procession of demonstrators in London on March 28, 2009. The Put People
First group, an alliance of more than 150 unions, on Saturday organized
the demonstration, calling on the leaders of the Group of 20 Countries
(G20) to adopt sustainable policies that can lead the world out of
recession. The demonstrators also urged the leaders to attach importance
to global environment protection and to stablize the world political
situation. The G20 leaders will meet in London on April 2. (Xinhua/Zeng
Yi) Photo
Gallery>>>
LONDON, Mar. 28 (Xinhua) -- Over 12,000 people from
across Britain and Europe marched through central London on Saturday ahead of
the G20 summit, demanding decent jobs and public services for all, an end to
global poverty and inequality, as well as a green economy.
The march organized under the banner of "Put People
First" started at 11:00 in the morning, drawing members from over 150 unions,
development, faith and environment groups in a unified call for a coordinated
fiscal stimulus to create and preserve jobs, international action to ensure that
an out-of-control finance sector never threatens the stability of the global
economy again and a commitment from world leaders that they will move to a low
carbon economy.
In an unprecedented alliance of supporters of Put
People First which range from the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to the Salvation
Army, Friends of the Earth to Oxfam and Shelter to War on Want, the
demonstrators held out slogans such as "Workers for the world united,"
"Knowledge is power," "Drop the debt," "Clean up global finance," "Smash
Capitalism" and "Climate emergency," expressing their anger at the policies that
have seen poverty exist alongside huge top banker bonuses.
A little girl attends a demonstration in
London on March 28, 2009. The Put People First group, an alliance of more
than 150 unions, on Saturday organized the demonstration, calling on the
leaders of the Group of 20 Countries (G20) to adopt sustainable policies
that can lead the world out of recession. The demonstrators also urged the
leaders to attach importance to global environment protection and to
stablize the world political situation. (Xinhua/Zhang Liqing) Photo Gallery>>>
"We're angry because this is not a natural disaster,
but a crisis due to irresponsible and reckless behavior. We're angry about the
inequality that ordinary people are paying the price," said Brendan Barber,
General Secretary of Trade Union Congress (TUC) which represents 6.5 million
people, later at a rally held in Hyde Park.
He called on leaders of the G20 countries to take up
measures now and lay the foundation for a better world where wealth is
distributed more fairly, and every one will have food, shelter and health care.
Barber also urged the leaders who will meet next week
in London to "take responsibility and make the right decision."
According to him, never before has such a wide
coalition come together with such a clear message for world leaders. "The old
ideas of unregulated free markets do not work, and have brought the world's
economy to near collapse, failed to fight poverty and have done far too little
to move to a low-carbon economy... Leaders must sign up to both boost the world
economy and govern it better, and show us that they are trying to build a better
world."
People hold placards during a
demonstration in London on March 28, 2009. The Put People First group, an
alliance of more than 150 unions, on Saturday organized the demonstration,
calling on the leaders of the Group of 20 Countries (G20) to adopt
sustainable policies that can lead the world out of recession. The
demonstrators also urged the leaders to attach importance to global
environment protection and to stablize the world political situation.
(Xinhua/Zhang Liqing) Photo Gallery>>>
Kumi Naidoo of Global Campaign Against Poverty joined
the rally from South Africa. He led the audiences in a call for Gordon Brown and
U.S. President Barack Obama to "Put People First," chanting in unison "We can do
it, we must do it, we will do it."
Demonstrators also want the G20 leaders to use the
financial crisis to solve social and environmental crisis, pressing them to
recognize that only just, fair and sustainable policies can lead the world out
of recession.
Union delegations and poverty campaigners came from
around the world, including Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary,
Italy, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Korea, USA,
Australia, South Africa, Zambia, Canada and the Philippines, for the march and
rally.
Organizers believe that both the march and rally will
give ordinary people a voice so that G20 leaders must not just fix the recession
but make sure that the world emerges a fairer and greener place, and does not go
back to pre-downturn business as usual.
A banner is displayed during a
demonstration in London on March 28, 2009. The Put People First group, an
alliance of more than 150 unions, on Saturday organized the demonstration,
calling on the leaders of the Group of 20 Countries (G20) to adopt
sustainable policies that can lead the world out of
recession.(Xinhua/Zhang Liqing) Photo Gallery>>>
The peaceful march and rally lasted almost five
hours, with no feared incidence of violence.
Glen Tarman of BOND, chair of the organizing team,
insisted: "Put People First is not organizing or collectively supporting any
other demonstrations or protest events being held in the subsequent week to
coincide with the G20 summit."
Thousands of police were mobilized to keep order on
the day. Saturday's rally marks the first of a series of protests in the coming
week to coincide with the G20 summit that falls on April 2.It is believed that
the upcoming protest on April 1 and 2 could turn violent as anarchists trying to
take advantage of people's anger to the current financial crisis.
A German policeman detains a demonstrator during a protest in Berlin, March 28, 2009. Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Berlin and Frankfurt to protest against globalisation and deepening global recession. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
BERLIN, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of Germans walked onto streets in Berlin and Frankfurt on Saturday to protest against the policies taken by governments in solving the global financial crisis ahead of G20. Full story
ROME, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Global leaders at the G20 summit in London should urge a radical reform of international financial institutions so as to pave the way for a new international economic order with a common set of rules and codes of conduct, Italian experts said in interviews with Xinhua on Friday.
Pierpaolo Benigno, economics and finance professor at Rome's LUISS University, said he expects "the G20 summit to launch a recapitalization of the International Monetary Fund." Full story
A girl carrying a model of the earth
gestures during a demonstration in London on March 28, 2009. The Put
People First group, an alliance of more than 150 unions, on Saturday
organized the demonstration, calling on the leaders of the Group of 20
Countries (G20) to adopt sustainable policies that can lead the world out
of recession.(Xinhua/Zeng Yi) Photo
Gallery>>>
