Protesters and power-brokers share profile at economic forum

As the political and financial elite converged at the World Economic Forum in New York, so too has a broad swathe of the world’s protest movements - motivated by calls to lower the cost of Aids drugs, improve the treatment of workers in poor countries and protect the environment.

In other cities, global economic meetings have been marked by anti-globalisation protests and violent confrontations with police.

As of late yesterday, police reported a modest eight forum-related arrests. Most events have drawn no more than a few hundred people, although one labour forum attracted about 1,000.

Yesterday evening, about 500 people from across the country belonging to a group called Pagan Cluster gathered for a candlelight vigil in lower Manhattan. Some danced and beat drums.

‘‘This is a time when New York needs healing. We have to protest here, so we want to do it in a way that expresses our caring and love,’’ said a woman named Starhawk, a leader of the group.

Activists said they hoped today would bring not only the sunny weather that was forecast but thousands of protesters who did not turn up in the previous days.

Friday’s events continued a trend toward ‘‘teach-in’’ and issue-oriented forums. During a second consecutive day of drizzle, street events were organised and peaceful.

Outside the Waldorf-Astoria, home of the forum, the area set aside for demonstrators was virtually empty yesterday afternoon. Police officers in rain gear huddled in doorways and beneath awnings to avoid the rain, and one lonely demonstrator stood by himself.

‘‘I thought activism was a team sport,’’ read the sign held by a glum, damp Joe Starosielec, a high school senior.

But the number and type of protests were expected to grow as the conference continues through the weekend. Though their goals may be different, protesters are largely motivated by a desire to disrupt an event they consider a celebration of corporate greed and corruption.

‘‘We did not elect these corporations,’’ said Kate Krauss, a spokeswoman for ACT UP, an Aids activism group. ‘‘These companies are making life-and-death decisions.’’

Krauss said pharmaceutical companies contribute to the spread of Aids by enforcing patents that block production of generic versions of Aids drugs.

Environmental causes have been widely promoted. Other protesters seek to draw attention to labour conditions around the world. At the impromptu headquarters of the group ANSWER - Act Now to Stop War, End Racism - nurse Toni Arenstein said WEF participants are actually figuring out ‘‘how they can get even richer at the expense of the workers’’.

‘‘What they should be talking about is how to create jobs for people,’’ said Arenstein, of San Francisco, as fellow members prepared protest signs saying, ‘‘Money for housing, not for war.’’

The group sponsored a ‘‘teach-in’’ yesterday at a Manhattan church, where about 200 people attended discussions on topics including ‘‘Globalisation Makes us Sick: The State of Health Care Around the World’’ and ‘‘Resisting Military Recruitment on College Campuses.’’

The spiritual movement Falun Gong hopes to draw attention to persecution in China, where the group is banned, said Nadine Leichter, a local practitioner.

‘‘We are here to have a dialogue and to give public awareness,’’ Leichter said, as members offered pamphlets to a seemingly uninterested crowd of commuters.

Whatever the motives, the protesters vow to continue throughout the forum’s end on Monday, some hoping to draw several thousand people to demonstrations in the remaining days.

Brian Becker, of ANSWER, said his group intends to be peaceful. ‘‘Our goal is to have a lawful, orderly and still boisterous and spirited protest.’’