Thompson Drowned Out at AIDS Meet

At the 14th International AIDS Conference in Barcelona Tuesday, activists drowned out a speech by US Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson. About 50 to 100 protesters carrying signs denouncing US AIDS policy demonstrated for nearly 30 minutes. "He was going to tell lies and we shut him down," said Milano Mark of ACT UP/New York.

The protest started when Thompson began his speech. Security personnel blocked demonstrators from reaching the stage, and at no time was Thompson threatened. Using a loudspeaker, Mark accused the United States of not doing enough to help people with AIDS and of undermining developing nations' efforts to obtain cheap AIDS drugs. Thompson completed reading his speech then exited the stage through a rear curtain, followed by about a dozen security personnel. The demonstrators then filed out, to the cheers of the audience, allowing the program to continue.

Asked about the demonstrators, Thompson said he knew he would face a "rough" time, but added, "I came here because I wanted to show that the Bush administration is committed to this fight. They can shout but that doesn't deter me or the president one bit," Thompson said. "We have a strong message. We are going to continue this despite the shouts, jeers and the insults."

Also on Tuesday, members of the activist Gruppo Italiano Trattamenti Antiretrovirali destroyed signs at the exhibit booth of drug maker Gilead Sciences. to back demands for "ongoing consultation with HIV-positive people." On Monday, activists disrupted the booth of Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche.

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