The protests on April 16th were of two types: the non-violent direct action, in which thousands and thousands of people blockaded intersections very early in the morning in an effort to prevent delegates from reaching their meeting at IMF headquarters, and a more conventional rally at the "Ellipse" behind the White House, followed by a short march towards the IMF. The blockades set up by the protesters were along a perimeter of blockades set up by police, who closed off some 60 square blocks of the city. While the police intent was to prevent protesters from approaching the buildings, the purpose of the protesters was to nonviolently prevent the only people the police would have let through ˆ the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors slated to meet at the IMF ˆ from getting to the police lines. Many of the delegates rose before 4 a.m. to beat the protesters, and so arrived four hours early for their meeting. Those who stayed in bed found it very difficult to get to their meeting ˆ some made it in the early afternoon, others may have given up. Tens of thousands attended the rally on the Ellipse, including many union members. Among the speakers were Richard Trumka of the AFL-CIO and representatives of several major unions, as well as Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader. The Indigo Girls gave an unannounced performance. The 50 Years Is Enough Network was proud to bring to Washington activists from several Southern countries most affected by IMF/World Bank policies; speaking that day were colleagues we brought from the Philippines, Cameroon, India, South Africa, Haiti, and Zimbabwe.

  Another rally and a similar direct action were planned for Monday, April 17th, but a drenching rain interfered. The rally was cancelled, though the slated celebrity attractions, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, spoke at a hastily-arranged (but very well-attended) press conference. The direct action went on, though it took the form of a mass procession through the streets, culminating in a confrontation at an intersection near the IMF which finally ended with arranged arrests for those wishing to make a symbolic break in the police lines.