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Yesterday, the 4th of february people went out on the streets of Malmo (the 3rd largest city in Sweden) to show their position against the ACTA agreement.

Protesters were young, aware and angry. Participants had been invited to the protest via facebook.

People wearing Masks of Guy Fawkes ("the only man ever to enter Parliament with honest intentions") had banners and were screaming slogans such as:
"Struggle continue, ACTA should gonne"
"What should we do? Stop ACTA! When? Now!"

The demonstration started at 12am and went throughout the city.
Even if it was -10C cold around 300 came to protest the new trade agreement.

ACTA as an agreement was produced by politicians representing governments all over the world.

The ACTA committee also consist of World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) which has as its aims to ensure and protect the current inballance of power and resources in the world.

The process of creating the ACTA agreement was held in secret.

The agenda and purpose of this agreement was also hidden from
the people whom it affected until the days before it was accepted. The agreement is forcing its members to change laws regarding
border control and criminal enforcement of goods, software and artistic materials such as mp3's on your ipod.

The protestors were angry about the fact that this descision had been made without any public possiblity to discuss or comment the agreement. The feeling of conspiracy from the side of politicans and lobbyists towards creators, travelers and music/art/computer consumers is shared all over the world.

The protest in Malmo is just one of many and it shows distrust in descision makers localy and globally.

If you want to know more about ACTA protests near you, look here:
http://wiki.stoppacta-protest.info/Main_Page


Photos from the demonstration (bellow) made by  Kostek