Protest draws far fewer than expected
By Walter Wright and Johnny Brannon
Advertiser Staff Writers
The 500 or so people who showed up for yesterday's protest march against the Asian Development Bank were far fewer than the 5,000 or more that organizers had first estimated.
Some protesters complained that speculation the march would result in a riot, constant media coverage of police preparations, and the strong police presence had kept many people from participating.
Others said Hawai'i simply is not a place where people take to the streets quickly, as in Seattle, San Francisco, New York or Los Angeles.
"Hawai'i people have an approach to protest and demonstration that is different," said long-time Honolulu activist John Witeck.
Also, the Asian Development Bank is less known than the World Trade Organization — the focus of a violent protest in Seattle two years ago — and therefore attracted less attention from anti-globalism groups.
The vast majority of the protesters were from Hawai'i, and the distance from the Mainland and high cost of airfare and accommodations here doubtless discouraged many Mainland residents from coming, organizers said.
Witeck called the large police presence a "silly overreaction" to persons wanting to express their opinions. And he questioned why taxpayers should underwrite costs such as the rental cost of the Convention Center for the ADB.
Police Chief Lee Donohue said he believed police had acted responsibly to ensure that no problems occurred. He said the city should be proud of the way officers handled the march and made sure it was peaceful.
But some said they turned out yesterday precisely because the city had tried to stop the event by refusing to issue a permit, which protesters later secured in court.
"It's insulting that they're abrogating our constitutional rights," said David Mulinix of Kane'ohe. "The ADB comes to town and they change the laws of the community."
The day before the march, organizers acknowledged that fewer than 1,000 people might show up. But they said they were glad that their parade permit had specified up to 5,000, just in case.
"It's always good to play it safe," said Matt MacKenzie of ADBwatch, the umbrella group that organized the march.
