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HK police besieged in WTO clash

Hundreds of protesters battled riot police yesterday in the most violent demonstrations since trade ministers from around the world began meeting in Hong Kong five days ago.

The scuffles involved South Korean farmers, Southeast Asian groups and European activists who oppose the WTO efforts to remove trade barriers.

Those fighting included militant French farmer Jose Bove, best known for ransacking a McDonald's restaurant under construction near his home in 1999. Immigration officials briefly detained Bove when he arrived this week for the WTO meeting. He said he was threatened with expulsion but was released after the French consul general intervened in his case.

Violence erupted yesterday in at least two spots in a busy neighborhood just blocks away from the convention center where the WTO planned to wrap up its talks today.

Dozens of South Korean farmers -- among the most militant of the 10,000 protesters gathering for the WTO meeting -- began attacking riot police who blocked them from marching close to the convention center.

The Koreans hit the police with bamboo poles and eggs, while security forces struck back with clubs, pepper spray and water cannons.

At the other protest, demonstrators attached ropes to two police vans and tried to pull them over. But about 100 police with riot shields quickly arrived and forced the protesters to retreat.

The protesters streamed across a busy thoroughfare near the WTO venue, blocking traffic for the first time since the meeting began.

Protests have been held daily since the WTO started meeting on Tuesday. Some have involved small-scale fighting between the police and South Koreans. But there were no arrests or serious injuries.

The WTO, which includes 149 nations and territories, sets rules for trade and helps resolve disputes.

Earlier yesterday, US Deputy Trade Representative Peter Allgeier defended the WTO's free trade policies.
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