- guardian.co.uk, Monday April 10 2000 01.51 BST
Their aim is to cause the same disruption to the summit meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank as demonstrators achieved during the World Trade Organisation's gathering in Seattle in November.
"Lots of people were sorry not to have been involved in Seattle, perhaps because they couldn't afford to fly there," said Hilary McQuie, an organiser of this week's protests against globalisation and its effects on the world's poor.
"They were all anxious to play their part in Washington," said Ms McQuie, who also helped organise the Seattle protests.
More than 400 organisations are planning to send demonstrators to the US capital in preparation for the large-scale protests on April 16 and 17. The demonstrations are also known simply as A16.
Mike Dolan, deputy director of Global Trade Watch, said organisers anticipated a turnout the size of the gathering in November, when unconfirmed estimates put the number of protesters at the WTO conference at up to 100,000.
Mr Dolan said many east coast unions, student bodies, environmental groups and civil rights organisations have pledged to attend rallies in the capital. The Ruckus Society, which trains demonstrators in non-violent direct action, has been preparing demonstrators at in Berkeley, California.
Police in Washington have indicated that they are anxious not to be caught out like their colleagues in Seattle, who lost control of the streets.
All leave has been cancelled and the entire force of 3,500 officers will be on duty throughout the week. They have been shown videos of how the Seattle force over-reacted, losing both the public relations battle and control of the WTO conference.
Police in Washington have spent an additional $500,000 (£312,000) on riot control equipment and have the use of 1,500 officers specially trained in dealing with civil disturbances. Some officers will be equipped with shotguns adapted to fire rubber bullets.
In November city authorities imposed a curfew on central Seattle after demonstrators marched on the hall where the opening ceremonies of the WTO talks were due to start. Protesters attacked shops and other commercial premises.
