Posted on 07/06/2005 9:29:44 PM PDT by Murtyo
EDINBURGH -- Bob Geldof Tuesday dismissed protesters who fought running battles with the police in Edinburgh as "a bunch of losers."
The Live 8 organizer said that they had nothing to do with the Make Poverty History campaign and he ridiculed the so-called anarchist clowns with "white painted faces" who thought they could "cause world revolution by standing on top of park benches and hitting the police." He also praised the police's handling of the protests.
Geldof arrived in Edinburgh Tuesday night on the eve of the G-8 summit at Gleneagles Hotel, as dozens of those arrested appeared in court. Many are accused of breach of the peace. Others face drugs, weapons and obstruction charges.
A hundred protesters were arrested but about 40 were released without charge. David Williams, 25, a chartered accountant from Cheshire, was remanded in custody when he claimed that the strict bail conditions -- banning him from going near Gleneagles, entering the centre of Edinburgh or Glasgow -- violated his human rights.
Thousands of anti-capitalist protesters are expected to gather Wednesday for a demonstration in the town of Auchterarder, next to Gleneagles Hotel, where many shops are boarding up their windows in anticipation. Police fear that a minority of those heading for the venue will attempt to provoke further violent confrontations and have warned that they would respond "robustly."
More than 4,000 officers, many of them from police forces in England, will surround the hotel and a total of 10,000 officers will be on G-8 duty for the next three days in one of the biggest security operations seen in Britain.
The Make Poverty History campaign launched around the summit has been endorsed by the Dalai Lama, Pope Benedict and Nelson Mandela, along with scores of others around the world.
Britain's Treasury chief said those who believe human misery can be eliminated "with the stroke of a pen" may be disappointed by the results of this week's G8 summit.
Treasury chief Gordon Brown, who has worked closely with Geldof, U2's Bono and other campaign leaders, said he has warned them to temper their expectations.
"I know that what you will say is that what we can achieve is perhaps not good enough, but we have got to bring the whole of the world together," Brown, in an interview with British Broadcasting Corp. television, said he told Make Poverty History organizers. "What Britain says is one thing, (and) what we can persuade the rest of the world to do together is what we will get as the outcome of Gleneagles."
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has made Africa and climate change the central themes of Britain's G-8 presidency, and he describes global warming as "probably the most serious threat we face."
In addition to the proposal to double aid for Africa by 2010, Blair's Commission for Africa has also recommended a second $25 billion increase in aid to Africa, to $75 billion annually, by 2015.
Geldof said Britain was pushing hard for a deal to help Africa, but sounded pessimistic. "I am not sure the others want to do it, which will be a grotesque failure," Geldof said.
I remember back after he organized "Live Aid" that he earned the nickname "St. Bob". I guess that's not too far off, if he really said that about Bush.
Quite wrong on that clee1.
Geldof asked folks not to Bush bash since he feels Bush has done more for Africa than any other world leader in history.
Bono did essentially the same thing and got tongue lashed by his band mates.
I agree that throwing more and more money at African kelptocratic anti-white racist thugs is foolhardy and that Geldolf is a lib....but to charge him with encouraging Bush bashing over this is erroneous.
The best thing in the world is to "teach a man to fish" so he may feed himself, not for just a day, but forever. That is what President Bush wants to do with the money, teach the Africans to fish.
"Takes one to know one..."
Damn! Beat me to it....and I am sure that it was the first thing that popped into a lot of heads here
"In addition to the proposal to double aid for Africa by 2010, Blair's Commission for Africa has also recommended a second $25 billion increase in aid to Africa, to $75 billion annually, by 2015.
Geldof said Britain was pushing hard for a deal to help Africa, but sounded pessimistic. "I am not sure the others want to do it, which will be a grotesque failure," Geldof said."
If they increased aid to consist of every single penny in the world in would STILL be a grotesque failure in the end. The problem is not money it is leadership
I wonder what the overall costs in security, property damages, clean up, loss of productivity, etc., are because some dimwits want to play at being street fighting men? Perhaps enough to save the lives of a hundred thousand African children?
Sir Bob seems to get it. He even let loose on Mugabe the other day. He also understands not to upset the juvenile crowds too much. He should order all of the protesters to watch the "Die Hippie Die" South Park episode for a reality check.
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