Protests to Greet Bush in Zagreb

04 April 2008

The Green List, Centre for Peace Studies, Zelena akcija and Documenta Centre will greet today U.S. President George Bush with noisy protests on Zagreb`s Cvjetni Trg (Floral Square), starting at 19:00 hours.

- We organize the protests because of the direct responsibility of Bush administration for numerous human rights violations all over the world, warmongering policies and start of unnecessary wars and intensified climate changes in the world. Our protests will get the logistic support by Fade In, Autonomous Cultural Centre and Food not Bombs associations, says the invitation of the organizers.

Before that, at 17:00 hours, the Anti-Imperialist Coalition will hold protests of its own at the French Revolution Square. The `Back off Bush` rally protests the humiliation that Croatian Government has imposed on its citizens with the decision to organize a gathering of its own on St. Mark Square, where U.S. President will give his own, as they say Urbi et Orbi speech. The Coalition emphasizes that Government�s rally is, in fact, illegal, having in mind that there is a Law that prohibits all public gatherings and demonstrations in St. Mark Square, where all the leading offices of the state are located.

- We invite the public, all citizens and media to join us on the French Republic Square and support our rally against American and NATO�s imperialist policies. They should bring their banners, whistles, drums and everything they think will make the rally as noisy as possible, so that Bush will not be overwhelmed by the impression of humility of the carefully selected posse on St. Mark, says the Coalition.

In spite of the fears expressed yesterday that, on basis of official and unofficial information they received from the Police Department, there was a danger for protests to be banned at the last possible moment, there was no such ban issued and the protests will take place as planned.