Agence France Presse | December 8, 2003
Opponents of the World Economic Forum in Davos said Monday they will disrupt the annual event this January by blocking the access to participants.
The "Swiss anti-WTO coordination" said it plans to respond to the "militarisation" of the 2004 forum, where some 6,500 soldiers are expected to be dispatched.
The group in a statement urged opponents of the forum to express their ideas "with creativity" but warned that any activities taken must be "well thought out" and carefully orchestrated to avoid endangering people.
There was only a small protest on the site of the 2003 conference of economic chiefs, but demonstrators ransacked shops and a luxury hotel in the centre of the Swiss capital Bern.
At the end of October, the Swiss government announced it would mobilise 6,500 soldiers at the next forum which runs from Jaunary 21 to 25, up from just 1,800 this year.Agence France Presse:
