Wall Street protests go global

Last Updated: Sun, 16 Oct 2011 02:55:00 +1100

Protests against corporate greed and income disparity, inspired by weeks of anti-Wall Street demonstrations in the US, are taking place around the world.

After thousands turned out for demonstrations in the business districts of cities across the Asia Pacific, protesters have now taken to the streets in Europe.

Demonstrators have clashed with police at the biggest European rallies in Rome, as tens of thousands of people marched through the city-centre to protest against the financial crisis.

Police baton-charged the crowd, and attempted to disburse them with tear gas and water cannon.

Witnesses say protesters smashed shop and bank windows and set cars on fire.

Thousands of people also took part in demonstrations in Australia and New Zealand.

The protesters say they have been inspired by activists in New York, who have been protesting against Wall Street and big corporations for about a month.

Nick Carson, from the Occupy Melbourne group says it is a peaceful demonstration that could go on for some time.

"The police are not able to legally come in and disperse us if we are just peacefully sitting or standing in the square, so there is little that can be done to move us along", he said.

There were also demonstrations in Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines.

Joey Tan was among the protesters in the Taiwanese capital, Taipei.

"Well, we still have the 1 per cent in Taiwan as well. And most of the people here are the 99 per cent," he said.

"And people have no jobs and there are wages cuts from the recession of 2008 and now it's all happening again. And people are really annoyed by it."

The protest leader in the Philippines capital, Jom Salvador, says they are fighting for the future.

"The people of the Philippines, the American people and the peoples of the other parts of the world, are tremendously affected by the crisis of capitalism," he said.

"All over the world, people are rising up, including women, to fight for our rights, to fight for the future of our children, to fight for the future of the peoples of the world."

Concrete demands of the movement are few, other than a general sense that the "greedy and corrupt" rich, and especially banks, should pay more and that elected governments are not listening.

ABC/wires

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