News from the previous Bush visit to Brussels, June 2001

12 June 2001 Demonstration at US Embassy in Brussels
Photo Stories from Indymedia.be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

13 June 2001
Demonstration at NATO headquaters, Brussels
Blockade of airport as Bush arrives in Brussels
Photo Stories from Indymedia.be 1, 2, 3, 4

Demonstration Against Bush at NATO headquarters, Brussels

BRUSSELS, June 13 (For Mother Earth) Over 300 international protesters were demonstrating at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium this morning. The demonstration against the policies of President Bush on the fields of (nuclear) disarmament, human rights, environment and globalisation of the economy went on outside the main entrance of the NATO HQ where Bush is meeting all NATO Heads of State and Government today.

The main point in the agenda of this meeting is the developement of U.S. National Missile Defence system and Star Wars. These plans are threatening to start a new round of nuclear arms race and are violating several international treaties like the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and Outer Space Treaty.

The demonstration was organised by a coalition of 9 non-governmental organisations who are shocked by Bush's lack of respect towards international agreements. The protesters carried signs and banners stating "George W. Bush, Wanted for crimes against humanity and the planet". The wanted-poster has been spread widely through internet the past weeks, and it can be downloaded at www.geocities.com/bushwanted, a website set up specially for this action. There was also an "international citizens arrest team" asking the local police to give them a hand to arrest President Bush.

The organisers had asked for a meeting with Bush at NATO HQ to talk about his disrespect for international agreements, but unfortunately this request was refused. The huge amount of security around NATO HQ showed clearlythat the secretive military alliance didn't have intentions of being accountable towards the public and allow representatives of NGOs to approach President Bush.

Yesterday there was a demonstration against Bush's policies at the U.S. Embassy in the centre of Brussels. Nearly 2000 people participated in this demonstration which was organised by a coalition of more than 20 NGOs.

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Greenpeace Blocks Airport as Bush Arrives in Brussels

BRUSSELS, June 13 (Greenpeace): Greenpeace activists protesting against US Government plans to deploy a star wars missile system and the US's rejection of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, today blocked the gates of the Brussels military airport where Bush arrived this morning.

A group of 17 activists chained themselves to the airport gates, made a human chain in front of the gates, carrying banners "George Bush -outlaws not welcome" and "GW Bush wanted for crimes against the planet" referring to rejection of key international treaties on climate change and arms control. The activists came from the United Kingdom, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Israel, and Australia.

Greenpeace volunteer Andy Tait one of the protestors involved in the airport blockade said, "The public in Europe do not want to return to the dangerous days of the Cold War, which is where President Bush is taking us. Governments have been silent on the issue which is why we are here today."

Bush cannot proceed on Star Wars without European support and participation. The US needs to use key radar facilities at Fylingdales in the United Kingdom and at Thule in Greenland, whose defence and foreign policy is controlled by Denmark.

Tait added, "Now is the time for the UK to take a strong lead and oppose Bush's dangerous Star Wars Plans."

A number of environment and peace groups including Greenpeace, For Mother Earth and War Resisters International, also demonstrated outside the NATO headquarters in Brussels this morning, where Bush was meeting with NATO Heads of State.

Greenpeace International disarmament campaigner William Peden said, "President Bush's promised consultations with his European allies over Star Wars deployment and climate change policies are a total sham.

Earlier this year he walked away from Kyoto, then last week the Bush administration said they will deploy some form of missile defence by 2004, so his message to the world is clearly 'like it or lump it'."

"European countries must stand up to Bush and defend international agreements on disarmament and climate change, by rejecting Star Wars and ratifying the Kyoto Protocol. If NATO member states support Star Wars they will be responsible for the start of a new nuclear arms race."

Today's blockade follows Greenpeace actions in Spain yesterday coinciding with President Bush's arrival in Europe, in France and Norway against US oil tankers, and in Finland over the weekend when US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld discussed Star Wars with Baltic Defence Ministers.

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Protesters arrested at U.S. embassy in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA, June 16 (Reuters) - Some 500 anti-globalization protesters staged a peaceful demonstration in the Slovenian capital on Saturday as U.S. President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir met in a nearby castle.

Large numbers of riot police prevented the protesters, most of them Slovenians, from marching on the historic city centre. Police helicopters circled overhead.

Earlier, police arrested 22 Greenpeace activists during a 20-minute protest outside the U.S. embassy in Ljubljana.

A Reuters reporter saw two activists led away by police after they scaled the embassy fence and tried to replace the U.S. flag with a banner reading "Stop Star Wars," a reference to U.S. plans to deploy a missile defence shield.

The remaining protesters, wearing the dinstinctive white overalls of the environmental protection organisation, were arrested on the street soon afterwards.

The Slovenian Interior Ministry said the police had detained 12 Austrians, six Slovaks, two Britons, a Czech and a Spaniard. They were expected to be released later on Saturday.

The incident passed off peacefully but a strong force of police in riot gear took up position outside the embassy after the 20-minute protest.

Slovenia has mounted its largest-ever security operation for the Bush-Putin meeting, at which U.S. missile defence plans and Washington's rejection of the Kyoto treaty on global warming were set to be among the major issues.

The two leaders met outside Ljubljana at a 16th century hilltop castle in Brdo pri Kranju. They were scheduled to hold a joint news conference after their talks.

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