Next week, the World Economic Forum will hold its annual meeting in New York, from January 31st to Feb 4th. At themeeting, 1,000 of the world’s top business leaders, and hundreds of political and media leaders will come together toshape the global agenda. This year the WEF says their meeting will focus on finding ways to “reverse the globaleconomic downturn, eradicate poverty, promote security and enhance cultural understanding.” Those who oppose theglobal financial spread say this means rescuing failing corporate giants and clamping down on dissent.

Many say that the WEF has chosen to meet in New York because the city’s recent trauma has made it a difficult climateto protest in. Last year when the WEF met in Davos, Switzerland, thousands came from across Europe to show theiropposition to the meeting of corporate chiefs.

Richard Esposito’s piece in the Village Voice this week begins: “Seen through the eyes of New York cops, theanti-globalization movement looks like one bloody line of terror and mayhem, stretching back to the Seattle riots of1999 and heading right at them. If the protesters pouring into the city for the World Economic Forum at month’s endhave plans for creating more scenes of violence and destruction, the NYPD says they can just think again.”

The piece presents a militarized city prepared to take violent action against violent protesters. Is this the scenewe can expect in New York?

Guests:

• Richard Esposito, consulting producer for ABC News and a reporter for Reuters, and co-author of the book??Dead on Delivery: Inside the Drug Wars, Straight from the Street. He authored an article in the VillageVoice this week, “Lockdown at the Waldorf.”
• Kate Cooper, Another World is Possible coalition and anti-World Economic Forum organizer.

Related links:

• “Lockdown at the Waldorf”
• ””:http://www.anotherworldispossible.org
• Students for Global Justice