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Saturday, January 31, 2009

Anti-forum protest turns violent in Geneva


Anti-forum protest turns violent in Geneva

1 hr 20 mins ago


GENEVA – Riot police have fired tear gas at bottle-throwing demonstrators in Geneva protesting against the annual World Economic Forum meeting in the Swiss Alps.

An Associated Press reporter on the scene says the protest was largely peaceful until police blocked the protesters from walking to the center of the city.

Some in the crowd of about 1,000 people threw bottles and police responded with tear gas.

Geneva authorities had denied the anti-capitalist crowd a permit to hold their demonstration Saturday.

Police were attempting to corral protesters into a tight area near Geneva's train station.

The forum is an annual gathering of the world's business and political elite. It is taking place on the other side of Switzerland in the elegant resort of Davos.