By Petra Cermakova and Katka Svobodova Culled from the Prague Post Prague residents, whose peaceful Velvet Revolution toppled a communist regime, blasted anti-globalization foes yesterday for "mob violence" that damaged private property across the capital and injured dozens of police officers and demonstrators. "This wasn't even a protest," said a clerk at C&A, a clothing store on Wenceslas Squre. "What happened here was nothing but vandalism." Demonstrators protesting the policies of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund smashed shop windows around Prague, including McDonald's, KFC and Dunkin' Donuts outlets on Wenceslas Square. They also tossed Molotov cocktails and cobblestones at police barracades. The Health Ministry said yesterday (Wednesday) tha 41 police officers and 52 protesters had been treated for injuries. Property damage estimates were still not complete but are expected to run into the millions of crowns. But the reserved citizens of the Czech capital, most of whom are happy to be moving westward after 50 years of communism, could only shake their heads at the violence. Jan Lexa, owner of car repair shop on Nezamyslova street near yesterday's most intense battle scene--under the Nusle bridge next to the Congress Center, the site of the financial summit--was surprised by people's reaction. "People are requesting that songs be played on the radio for the police officers," said Lexa, 30. "This is the first time the Czechs aren't complaining about the police, but glorifying them. But I think the police should have done more to prevent the violence." _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------