Demonstratie in Marokko wordt keihard uiteengeslagen

[lennart]

Morocco: Police break up anti-US demo

Moroccan police have broken up a demonstration by some 300 people protesting against the country's planned free trade agreement with the United States.

Protesters accused security forces of heavy-handedness when human rights activists and intellectuals gathered outside Parliament on Wednesday.

According to demonstrators, police moved in and violently broke up the gathering using batons.

Security forces said the protest had not been officially authorised and had to be peacefully dispersed. But a spokesman confirmed scuffles did break out among protesters, some of whom had fallen to the ground.

Among those caught up in the incident was Abd al-Hamid Amin, head of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights .

"Policemen hit him on the back and on the head," said Abd al-Ilah Bin Abd Islam, who was with Amin at the time. "They hit him to please the Americans," he added while helping Amine to get back on his feet.

Other witnesses said film-maker Nabil Ayush was also struck.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/8FD8B16F-2CDB-4AF3-A0B6-20600BE2CAB8.htm

[Blade20]

Volledig onbetrouwbaar. De enigste die je erover hoort zeggen dat het hardhandig is gedaan zijn de protesteerders zelf, en diez ijn bevooroordeeld. Voorals dat laatste stukje van de VS is typische Al Jazeera propaganda.

Kom eerst maar eens op te proppen met een neutrale bron.

[lennart]

Wat is er onbetrouwbaar aan? Zowel de protestanten als de overheid krijgt hun zegje. Dit is goede journalistiek.

Hier is nog een bron:
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=8691

ps. De topic titel 'Demonstratie in Marokko wordt keihard uiteengeslagen' is van mij. Ik geloof nu eenmaal anti-globalisten eerder dan de "zachtmoedige" politie.

[Blade20]

Die nieuwe bevalt me meer, hier is de balans overheid, protestanten behouden, biij die vorige krijgen de protestanten meer het woord dan de overheid.


Police break up free trade demo in Morocco


Witnesses say police used batons to break up 200 people protesting in Rabat against US-Morocco free trade deal.


RABAT - Moroccan police on Wednesday broke up a demonstration by some 200 people protesting against the country's planned free trade agreement with the United States, with some protesters accusing the security forces of being heavy-handed.

The demonstrators, including intellectuals and human rights activists, had gathered outside Parliament despite being told their protest had not been authorised.

According to demonstrators, police moved in and violently broke up the gathering using batons.

Among those caught up in the incident was Abdelhamid Amine, head of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights.

"Policemen hit him on the back and on the head," said Abdelilah Benabdeslam, who was with Amine at the time.

"They hit him to please the Americans," he added while helping Amine to get back on his feet.

Other witnesses said film-maker Nabil Ayouch was also struck.

A police spokesman said the protest was peacefully dispersed but that scuffles had broken out among the protesters, some of whom had fallen to the ground.

The protest, called by a trade union, was against the planned US-Morocco free trade agreement, with those taking part denouncing clauses which they said threatened cultural diversity and access to health care in the kingdom.

The accord, still being negotiated, is expected to be signed in April or May.

It has upset some professions here, notably the textile, culture and health industries.