British court evicts 'Occupy London' protesters

Thursday, January 19, 2012

LONDON -- "Occupy London" protesters must leave their camp on the doorstep of St. Paul's Cathedral, a court ruled Wednesday.

British High Court Judge Keith Lindblom granted London authorities permission to evict the protesters, citing public health, safety and environmental concerns, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Speaking at London's Royal Courts of Justice, Lindblom said, "It is necessary and it is proportionate."

But he added, "No one has doubted, or could, the significance of the causes the defendants promote."

Eviction notices were served on anti-capitalist protesters in November after officials from the City of London Corporation, which runs the district that houses St. Paul's, said negotiations with the demonstrators had stalled.

Protesters ignored a deadline to leave and the authority began legal proceedings.

The "Occupy London" movement -- inspired by "Occupy Wall Street" -- set up camp at St. Paul's on Oct. 15 after failing to secure a spot in front of the nearby London Stock Exchange.

The 200-tent protest has caused divisions in the cathedral's hierarchy and led to the resignations of three members of its clergy.

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Romanian PM warns protesters on fifth day - Reuters

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania's prime minister warned anti-austerity protesters gathering for a fifth day on Monday that violence would not be tolerated after 59 people were injured in clashes between demonstrators and riot police at the weekend.

The country's worst unrest for more than a decade has seen riot police using tear gas against protesters throwing bricks, smashing windows and setting fire to newspaper stands and rubbish bins in central Bucharest since it began on Thursday.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered peacefully in central Bucharest and other cities on Monday afternoon, demanding Prime Minister Emil Boc and his close political ally President Traian Basescu resign.

The numbers were expected to rise in the evening and analysts predicted more protests but did not see them affecting the austerity measures passed by the ruling coalition's small but stable parliamentary majority.

The country had hitherto avoided the kind of violence that has shaken Greece and other indebted European states despite a 25 percent cut in public sector pay and five percentage point increase in VAT imposed in 2010 to maintain an IMF-led bailout.

Boc, whose popularity is declining ahead of parliamentary elections late this year, said any violence would just end up harming the country.

"We have achieved stability but we cannot harvest the fruits immediately," he said in his first speech since the protests began. "My message is clear: violence will not be tolerated, peaceful protests are legitimate," Boc said.

"Street violence can do us much harm and can hamper prospects for economic growth."

People rallied initially in support of a deputy health minister who quit in protest at a controversial draft healthcare legislation. But the demonstrations grew despite the government's cancellation of the bill and evolved into a general expression of discontent with austerity policies and poverty.

"Five years of European Union membership did not bring anything good, on the contrary, poverty, frozen pensions," Ioan Mendea, a 73-year old former jurist, who ekes out a living from a 900 lei ($260) monthly state pension, told Reuters.

"This government, prime minister, president must go."

Markets were largely unfazed by the violence and the finance ministry managed to sell far more debt than planned at a tender.

Daniel Hewitt of Barclays Capital in London said the protests had so far had limited impact. "This is certainly a change, but it does not seem to be able to lead to any ... significant changes as it stands now."

Police said they had fined or started criminal investigations against 283 demonstrators involved in Sunday's violence. Along with the tear gas, it was not clear what other measures they could employ to prevent any future violence.

"Compared to the rest of Europe, the protests we have seen here were very small, they are not a proper instrument yet," said Cristian Patrasconiu, a political commentator. "But I do expect them to continue...This is a wave that has yet to break." ($1 = 3.4244 Romanian lei)

(Editing by Philippa Fletcher)

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Protesters gather for fourth straight day in Romania

Monday, January 16, 2012

Romanian police take position in the center of Bucharest on January 15, 2012 during a demonstration against the government's austerity program and Romanian President Traian Basescu.Protesters gather in Bucharest and 18 other Romanian citiesIt was the fourth day of protests against government austerity measuresClashes between police and protesters left 17 injured Saturday in BucharestThe demonstrations are the largest against President Basescu since his 2004 election

Bucharest, Romania (CNN) -- Protesters seeking the ouster of Romanian President Traian Basescu and early elections gathered for a fourth straight day Sunday in a main square of Bucharest, the capital, and 18 other cities in the Eastern European nation.

The demonstrations, which included clashes between police and protesters Saturday in University Square that injured 17 people, are the most serious since Basescu's election in 2004.

See images from the protests

Some of the hundreds who showed up at the square on Sunday demanded justice and blamed the government and austerity measures for their poor living standards.

"We have no financial security. My husband and I are retired but we are sharing our modest income with our children because they are jobless," said Rodica Ganea, who described being asked during hospital visits to pay for "medicines, syringes, bandages, everything."

"I can't afford it," Ganea said. Another woman, 64-year-old Marilena Salan, described similar circumstances.

"My kids are university graduates but they are jobless," Salan said. "They are forced to break up their families, leave their kids home and go abroad to work. My nephews are growing up without their parents. This is unacceptable."

On Saturday, police fired tear gas to disperse thousands of protesters gathered in University Square to demonstrate against government austerity cuts.

The protesters blocked traffic, waving flags with the centers ripped out to symbolize the 1989 communist revolution. Others carried signs reading "Liberty" and "Down with President Basescu."

Police fired tear gas in an attempt to calm the crowd, and 17 people were hospitalized in the ensuing chaos with 50 fined for disturbing public peace. The injured included a local journalist and five police officers, one severely injured when demonstrators stoned him.

The protests broke out Thursday after the resignation of Deputy Health Minister Raed Arafat, an opponent of health care reforms proposed by the government.

Facing public pressure, Basescu decided to scrap the reforms Friday, saying he made the decision after realizing that a majority of those in the medical system opposed the change.

"The hospitals don't want the change, the (doctors) don't want the change and neither does the emergency health care system," Basescu said.

Critics had argued that the proposal favored the private health care system by allowing access to government funds while the state-funded system lacks financial aid.

The protests follow several unpopular measures taken by the government over the past two years. After receiving a loan of 20 billion euros from the International Monetary Fund and the European Union in 2009, the government cut salaries in the public sector by 25% a year later to enforce austerity measures recommended by the IMF.

Prime Minister Emil Boc said on Sunday that a new series of debates on the health care issue will start Monday, with the intention of creating a new health care law.

Over the past three days, protesters also held demonstrations in other cities including Cluj, Timisoara, Iasi and Targu Mures.

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Protesters gather for fourth straight day in Romania

Protesters seeking the ouster of Romanian President Traian Basescu and early elections gathered for a fourth straight day Sunday in a main square of Bucharest, the capital, and 18 other cities in the Eastern European nation.

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