Hundreds of disgruntled protesters against the elite World Economic Forum are marching through the Alpine snows toward its annual gathering in Davos.
DAVOS, Switzerland — Hundreds of disgruntled protesters against the elite World Economic Forum are marching through the Alpine snows toward its annual gathering in Davos, as officials on Monday detailed extra security measures like vehicle checks and webcam shutdowns with U.S. President Donald Trump and other notables set to arrive.
Zurich
regional police said some 130 attendees who are “protected under international
law" - including royalty, presidents and prime ministers - were expected
to pass through toward the Davos gathering from Tuesday to Friday. All told,
nearly 3,000 leaders from civil society, business, politics and elsewhere from
118 countries are expected as the Forum marks its 50th year.
Protesters
with the "Strike-WEF" collective, who began marching toward Davos on
Sunday, have taken issue with one security measure: An order from regional
police that no more than 300 people can attend a planned protest near the town
hall. Authorities insist the square is too small to hold more people. They call
such limits anti-democratic.
“When
they can have space for 3,000 people - the majority of who are the richest
people on the planet - but for only 300 among the 99% of the rest of us, it's a
joke,” said Payal Parekh, a spokeswoman for the collective. Members of the
group and its supporters - some dressed in get-ups like Ronald McDonald outfits
- were marching toward Davos but have been barred from the main roads to get
there.
"There
are ways to get to Davos,” she said. “We are creative and flexible.”
Rosalina
Mueller, a spokeswoman for the Young Socialists that is helping organize the
demonstration in Davos, applauded the idea of having leaders come together, but
said they'd failed to help the world over the last half-century.
“They
say they want to make the world better, but for 50 years they haven't done
anything,” she said. Forum organizers have pointed to scores of initiatives
like planting trees, enlisting businesses in advocacy programs, and rallying
thousands of promising youths to help their communities in scores of countries
around the world.
The
Swiss national authorities were restricting airspace and have authorized up to
5,000 troops to take part in enhanced security. Authorities and Forum
organizers have set aside a budget of $9 million for extra security measures
during the event.
Zurich
authorities were boosting security checks of people and vehicles and advising
Zurich airport visitors to use public transport for Trump's expected arrival on
Tuesday.
https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2020-01-20/davos-bolsters-security-as-protesters-march-toward-venue