Anti-forum protest turns violent in Geneva

GENEVA -- Riot police fired tear gas and water cannons at bottle-throwing leftist demonstrators in Geneva who protested Saturday against the annual World Economic Forum meeting in the Swiss Alps.

Police chased black-clad protesters through the narrow streets of what is known as the "city of peace," as Saturday shoppers took refuge in bars and cafes. An Associated Press reporter on the scene saw a few minor injuries.

The protest of hundreds of people was largely peaceful until police blocked a group from walking to the center of the city. Some in the crowd threw bottles, and police responded with tear gas.

The violence was a long way from the target of the protesters' anger, the World Economic Forum in Davos, a five-hour train ride from Geneva. The forum is an annual gathering of the world's business and political elite.

Police spokesman Philippe Cosandey estimated there were 350 to 400 people in the crowd. He said there have been 16 arrests, though dozens more were briefly detained.

Geneva authorities had denied the anti-capitalist crowd a permit to hold their demonstration, but they decided to stage it anyway.

A broad coalition of leftists from trade unions and anarchists — known as the Black Bloc because of their attire and masked faces — organized the demonstration.

The protest began peacefully with a rally in front of the city's imposing 19th-century post office. Speakers railed against government bailouts for banks and other symbols of global capitalism.

"They are refilling their accounts with the people's money," said Florence Proton of the anti-globalization group Attac.

Alessandro Pelizzari, regional secretary of the trade union Unia, said ordinary workers deserved government handouts, too.

"100,000 lost their jobs in Europe this week," he said. "And those responsible are in Davos."

Demonstrators expressed anger that their protest had been banned, and warned that this would give a minority the excuse to attack police.

Violence erupted when a small group of protesters pealed off from the rally and tried to break through police lines.