Friday, June 18, 1999

Protesters dump dead wombats at Australia Exchange

MELBOURNE, Australia

(Reuters) - A small group of environmentalists dumped three dead wombats in front of the Australian Stock Exchange building in Melbourne on Friday to protest against logging of old forests by a Japanese company.

The group ``Chipstop'' said they put the dead animals, killed in road accidents, on the stock exchange steps in a demonstration against Japanese paper company Daishowa and as part of a worldwide campaign by environmentalists against global business.

``They're basically colonizing our forests,'' said Shelly Nundra, ``Chipstop'' spokeswoman from the East Gippsland region east of Melbourne.

The green group joined the local branch of J18 -- Global Carnival Against Corporate Tyranny -- scrawling anti-capitalist slogans in chalk in front of the stock exchange building.

``Don't Envest In Death,'' read their misspelled blue graffiti on the building's polished marble walls.

The small group of protesters was outnumbered by about 25 police.

J18 had threatened to disrupt world financial markets on Friday, blaming major companies and the financial system for the world's environmental and social problems.

In Sydney, Australia's financial capital, about 100 protesters gathered in the central business district and marched to the local state parliament and Australia's Westpac Bank.

In an unprecedented move, police told Sydney companies and residents to heighten security during the day. More than 300 police were put on alert.

An Internet site about J18 said demonstrations would be non-violent, although activists did not rule out damage to property, attempts to occupy offices and disruption of computers.