A mass protest against the UN Earth Summit by around 15,000 people ended peacefully in Johannesburg today as they boarded buses to go home.
The protestors left after meeting for hours outside the summit venue, where the meeting was in its sixth day, to demand an end to poverty and lambast world leaders like US President George W. Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
The had marched eight kilometres (five miles) from Alexandra, the poorest slum in South Africa, to the wealthy district of Sandton to show up the gap between rich and poor, which they said the summit was failing to bridge.
Organisers said police had arrested six marchers, but correspondents along the route said it was generally peaceful.
The speeches were taking place in a carnival atmosphere, with the crowd, in national dress from around the world, applauding attacks on rich countries.
AFP