G-8 riot leaders elude police

G-8 riot leaders elude police
Monday, June 2, 2003 Posted: 12:48 PM EDT (1648 GMT)

ANNEMASSE, France -- The so-called "Black Bloc" anti-globalization protesters blamed for most of the violence surrounding the G-8 summit in France have eluded police so far, Swiss authorities said Monday.

Demonstrators were mostly quiet Monday, after a day of major protests involving some 50,000 who marched between Switzerland and France to accuse the world's top industrialized countries of ignoring the needs of poor nations.

Large numbers of demonstrators apparently had left lakeside Geneva and Lausanne by Monday, police said, but they said it was possible the troublemakers were still around.

A largely peaceful demonstration Sunday in Geneva deteriorated into pitched battles between riot police and protesters intent on attacking properties and looting that continued into early Monday. Police finally surrounded the center of the city and flooded it with tear gas.