World | World Globalisation Feature Archive

Crucial Evidence 'Mislaid' in Genoa G8 Diaz Trial

18-01-2007 14:01 | Genoa | Globalisation | Repression | World

On Wednesday, 17 January 2007, it emerged that important evidence against the police officers who raided the Diaz school has been 'mislaid' by the police. The evidence concerned is two 'Molotov cocktails' which were supposedly found during the raid back in 2001, and were then used by police to justify the raid. It later transpired that they had in fact been planted in the Diaz building by police. The two bottles should have been produced in court yesterday during the questioning of police officer Donnini, who was in charge of the unit that transported the bottles.

On Thursday the 19th, however, Judge Barroni said the trial will continue with other evidence as the search for the missing evidence progresses [See missing Molotovs update]. All other charges against the various high-ranking police officers still stand.

Links: Witnesses Give Evidence in Genoa Diaz Trial | G8: Genoa: Police on Trial for Brutal Diaz Raid | Police, Lies, and Video Tape | UK IMC Genova Topicpage

Indymedia journalist shot dead by paramilitary during protest in Oaxaca, Mexico

'William Bradley Roland, also known as Brad Will, 36, a documentary filmmaker and reporter for Indymedia New York in Mexico, Bolivia and Brazil, died today of a gunshot to the chest when pro-government attackers opened fire on a barricade in the neighborhood of Santa Lucia El Camino, on the outskirts of Oaxaca, Mexico. He died with his video camera in his hands.' (source: Narconews) Read NYC-Indymedia statement and a Call to all independent journalists to support the struggle in Oaxaca.

Call to Protest Outside Mexican Embassy in London, Monday 30th October 5pm

Brad had been in Oaxaca taking video and reporting on the state wide popular uprising and teacher strike that began in June with the violent attempted removal of the striking teachers from their encampment in the centre of Oaxaca City by federal police forces. 3 others were also killed alongside him (making 4 dead in total); 1 member of Radio Universidad was also injured: he was taken to the hospital in a volkswagen van as police would not let any ambulances come.

Since the beginning of the strike in June, teachers and other groups have formed the APPO - the Popular Assembly of the Oaxacan People - and have called for the removal of the governor of state Ulises Ruiz of the PRI. There is a long history of Mexico using government sponsored paramilitaries to repress social movements, including a massacre of hundreds of students in Mexico City in 1968. As reports of protesters surrounded by armed government forces and police continue to pour in, activists in cities around the world are planning protests at Mexican embassies and in cyberspace in outcry against the violent aggression against the people of Oaxaca.

Breaking News and Latest Updates: APPO Radio Live Broadcast (Sp> | Live Radio Transcript (Eng)

More updates: New York Indymedia (EN) | CMI Mexico (ES)

Camping Against G8 And For Something Completely Different.

13-08-2006 11:41 | G8 Germany 2007 | Globalisation | World

“Camp Inski”, the preparation and information camp for the forthcoming G8 summit in Germany, took place from August 4th-14th in North East Germany. Somewhat less than one year before the G8-summit, autonomously organized resistance meets and plots for several days(en) in close proximity to the future summit location in the nearby town of Heiligendamm. Numbers are difficult to guess – several reports speak of more than 500 while others say many more came during the week. The workshops ranged from meetings about mobilisation, blockades and bike caravans to general questions of resistance and social movements.

While discussing and organizing next year's protest, various actions took place showing the wide range of activities started by the camp, including going from door to door in nearby villages and towns to inform residents of the future protests. A villa was occupied in opposition to the commercialisation of the increasingly posh seaside resort. An anti-racist demonstration (Video: 1 | 2 ) was held in the nearby city of Rostock. On friday hundreds of activists gathered at the beach outside summit venue(en), on saturday protest closed down an exhibition of the nazi artist Arno Breker while activists protested at a GMO field nearby the camp.

Video (de): 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
Pictures and Reports (de): 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 (en) | 6 (en) | 7 | 8 (en)
Camp Website: http://camp06.org

Websites about G8 2007: dissentnetwork.org (de) | g8-2007.de | gipfelsoli.org

G8 Summit 2006. St. Petersburg, Russia

10-07-2006 14:24 | G8 Russia 2006 | Globalisation | World

From July 15th to 17th the G8 met in Strelna, a suburb of St.Petersburg, Russia.

While the situation for protest in Russia is very different (Interview) from what it was in the UK during the G8 in Gleneagles, the Russian "Network against the G8" called for protests against the summit and invited people from around the world to come to Russia. A cycle caravan that departed from Berlin arrived at St.Petersburg well ahead of the protests [reports and photos] A Libertarian Forum also took place in Moscow from the 8 to the 12 of July as a build up event for the protests in St. Petersburg. [Reports: first and second days]

On the 14th of July there was a call for a Global Day of Action, when protests against the neo-liberal politics of the G8 took place worldwide [Summary of global protests] These included planned actions in Washington, Manchester, Berlin, Hamburg, and Manila. Environmental groups also called for an International Day of Direct Action on July 15th for climate justice, against climate change and the G8. See the protest calendar for further details.

At the same time as the G8 summit took place, protesters gathered around the Social Forum in St. Petersburg, and in a convergence centre in the Kirov stadium (with an autonomous space within it). A counter summit called Forum des Peuples was also held in Mali from 15th-17th July.

For the latest reports and updates click at the "Full article" link above, and check out IMC-Russia (multilingual)

Worldwide Anti-War Protests: March 18th Reports

Saturday 18th March was an International Day of Mobilisation against the war and occupation in Iraq, marking the three year anniversary of the war (see call from WSF Assembly of the Movements). Over the weekend of the 18th hundreds of demonstrations took place throughout the world demanding to end to the occupation of Iraq, and protesting against a possible attack on Iran.

In London, the Stop The War coalition said 80 - 100,000 people marched through the streets, however as usual there was disagreement over numbers with the police saying the turnout was as low as 15,000 (a figure which was then printed in mainstream media across the world). See reports and pictures from London [1 | 2 | 3 | 4]. The march sparked some personal commentary about the day and the tactics [ Brian B | riot act | Jo Wilding ]. Locally protests also took place in Glasgow, Newcastle and Dublin.

In the Arab world, demonstrations took place in Basra and the Syrian capital Damascus. Smaller ones took place in Beirut, Cairo and other Arab cities. In the Tunisian city of Sfax, police stormed into a crowd of about 3,000 people and beat them with batons and truncheons, injuring at least 20.

Witnesses Give Evidence in Genoa Diaz Trial

05-02-2006 16:00 | Genoa | Globalisation | Repression | World

On 25th January the last out of eight British witnesses (and one from New Zealand) gave their testimonies about the bloody night time raid of the Genoa Social Forum and Diaz schools in Genoa during the 2001 G8 Protests. The trial of 29 police officers (including many senior ones) for various crimes of brutality and fabricating evidence has been running now since April 2005. The first witnesses gave evidence just over three months ago and it's expected that this phase of the trial will last until the early summer. In the raid on the Diaz school over 90 people were arrested. Over 60 people suffered injuries after police savagely beat people, some still in their sleeping bags - 31 people were taken to hospital, three of them in a critical state. Some are still receiving medical treatment. Running in parallel is also the trial of yet more police and others accused of beating protestors who were held at the Bolzanetto detention centre after the protests and the raid.

Meanwhile in Switzerland the trial of policemen accused of cutting the climbing rope of Martin Shaw during the Evian 2004 G8 protests will take place in Nyon on 13th-15th February, with several events focusing on G8 and repression taking place alongside (for more see www.aubonnebridge.net). February 4th saw an Activist Trauma Network Gathering in London. The network was formed as a positive response to repression, to provide support and advice.

Stop the UN's Plans for a New Massacre in Haiti

13-01-2006 21:36 | Globalisation | Repression | World

Reports from Aaron Lakoff and Leslie Bragg on the situation in Haiti in the run up to the Elections .

Urgent Action Alert from the Haiti Action Committee As UN's Brazilian commander is found shot dead on his hotel balcony…New UN massacres in Cite Soleil could come any day now. Be on the alert. The situation in Haiti is dangerous and moving fast. There is the realistic fear that a repeat of the massacre which left 23 dead in July 2005 is imminent.

For background on the UN Massacre in July 2005.

Read a report from political prisoner So Anne Auguste, a Haitian folk singer imprisoned since the UN Massacres July 05.

Read about the UN oppression of the people of Cite Soley.

Listen to an audio report from Cite Soley of relatives of people murdered this week by the Ministuh.

Mass protests meet WTO in Hong Kong

The 6th Ministerial Conference of the WTO has been taking place from December 13th through 18th in Hong Kong. Negotiations have been continuing on key controversial issues such as agriculture, services, and market access for industrial goods and natural resources. The meeting hoped to shape the final agreement of the Doha Development Agenda, which members hope to complete next year.

The nations agreed to cut the agricultural subsidies by the end of 2013, and terminate any cotton subsidies by the end of 2006. This breakthrough is considered to be small but essential for the trading negotiation to be completed by the end of 2006.

The Ministerial Declaration text can be found here. BRIDGES Last Issue of Daily Report is available now from ICTSD, on HK WTO MC6. Click: PDF | HTML
For more news on the draft agreements, visit Focus on Global South or Trade Observatory.

What is wrong with the WTO?

The protest of this conference turned out to be the closest protest to the venue of the conference in the WTO history, the police were forced to use tear gas to prevent the protester forced their way into the venue of WTO, the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. An estimated 10,000 protesters were present in Hong Kong during the meeting and the areas around the convention center, where the meetings took place were barricaded from 6pm on December 12. During the last days of the summit, the police arrested more than 1000 people, many of whom reported police brutality and ill-treatment of prisoners. Read the dispatches for more info.

>>> Latest news: (and more from outside and inside the WTO negotiations).

Tuesday December 20th:
(i) A South Korean vice foreign minister flew to Hong Kong on Monday to try to negotiate the release of hundreds of his countrymen arrested during anti-free trade demonstrations.
(ii) There are still several (numbers unconfirmed as of now) WTO protest detainees from Africa, Latin America, North America and Europe whose status remain in question. If you have any more specific information about these people, please contact legal support at 2831-9837.
(iii) There is a rally outside the Kwuntong Courthouse to support the fourteen WTO protesters who are being charged with 'Unlawful Assembly'. Their next hearing is set for Friday. Protesters in solidarity with the incarcerated continue to hunger strike and camp outside the courthouse until the remaining detainees are released.
(iv) Confirmed: ALL Thai, Indonesian and Koreans currently incarcerated will be released by late tonight, except for eleven Korean nationals who are being taken to court.

Photo:
13th: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
14th: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
15th: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
16th: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
17th: 1 | 2 | 3
18th/19th: Photogallery
Also: Photo collage | Image Pool | View Slideshow
Video: Protests on the 15th: 1 | 2 | 3 | Protesters enter conference centre [download].
Video websites: 1 | 2 | 3 | videoblog
Audio: G-20 Challenges WTO in Official Meeting | Hong Kong New Media and Social Transformation Conference | WTO and biodiversity: interview with Simone Lovera (Friends of the Earth) | Openings speech by Pascal Lamy, Director General of the WTO
Radio: People's Radio Hong Kong | Media Culture Action | Real World Radio | Forum de Radios

From UK Indymedia newswire: Take Action: 100's of protesters still detained in Hong Kong | Stop the WTO Negotiations! Save Jobs! | Kong Yee Sai Mau (No to WTO): The Battle of Hong Kong | Police brutality and inhumane treatment of prisoners at WTO summit in Hong Kong | NO-WTO! REPORT OF READING SOLIDARITY DEMO | Migrant Workers Strike against Poverty Wages and WTO | Inspiring photos from the WTO summit in Hong Kong | Fisherfolks Murdered By Drowning, Suspect 6th WTO | pics from the WTO Hong Kong | Insurgent Zombies Occupy Paris Supermarket in WTO Protest | NO-WTO: DEMO SAT 17TH DEC, READING | WTO Protests – You Cannot Speak If You Wear Too Little | WTO - HK05 - Images of Resistance | WTO Protests in Hong Kong - Day One report | Report on the WTO Conference Day One Protect Actions | A list of sites with news on the WTO protests. (with links) | anti wto HK site | Philipinos protest WTO | KONG YEE SAI MAU! - Protest against the WTO! | Peaceful direct action violently oppressed by HK media | Free Trade Endangers Jobs Worldwide

Dispatches from Hong Kong
Dispatch 1: As The Tide Rushes In: Four Days Before the WTO in Hong Kong
Dispatch 2: Raids Target Migrant Workers as WTO Summit Nears
Dispatch 3: WTO 6, Day 1: Just The Beginning
Dispatch 4: WTO MC6, Day 2: Face-Off at the Barricades, Stand-Off at the Summit
Dispatch 5: Celebrating Resistance Art and Culture at the Peoples Camp
Dispatch 6: Hear the Silent Majority Speak!
Dispatch 7: “Toxic Hotspot” - Kerala Activist Challenges Industrial Pollution Exacerbated by Intensive Globalisation and WTO
Dispatch 8: Low Wage Workers and Migrants Lead Opposition to GATS and Imperialism
Dispatch 9: Farmers Procession Sways Hearts and Minds at WTO Protests in Hong Kong
Dispatch 10: Hong Kongers hunger strike in support of Korean farmers against the WTO
Dispatch 11: Respect the Rights and Dignity of Our People!
Dispatch 12: WTO Indicted for Crimes Against Humanity at Rural Peoples Tribunal
Dispatch 13: WTO Out of Agriculture !
Dispatch 14: WTO MC6, Hong Kong, Day 4: “We’re Hungry. We’re Angry.”
Dispatch 15: Agricultural Workers of the World Unite!
Dispatch 16: Asian Farmers Condemn TRIPS as One of the Worst Agreements this Century
Dispatch 17: Rice Farmers Want WTO Out Of Agriculture!
Dispatch 18: Why We Do This: One Story from the WTO Protests in Hong Kong, December 17
Dispatch 19: A statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) about police brutality.
Dispatch 20: Release Those Fighting to Save their Livelihoods from the WTO!
Dispatch 21: WTO FIASCO: Lamp Spins Deception Deal at Hong Kong
Dispatch 22: La Via Campesina Delcaration on Farmers Protest March
Dispatch 23: DRAFT Timeline of Events, Dec 17th - 18th 2005 Hong Kong WTO
Dispatch 24: Target: WTO condemns Police Brutality - Drop Charges NOW!
Dispatch 24: Kong Yee Sai Mau: The Battle of Hong Kong
Dispatch 25: Focus: Off the Hong Kong road and back on the streets Number 10, 19 December 2005
Dispatch 26: “The Struggle Continues: Protesting Around the Clock” – Report from Dec 17/18 Battle for Hong Kong
Dispatch 27: Human Rights Abuse by Police on WTO peaceful occupiers
View more dispatches here.

Monday December 19th:
(i) Some protesters have been released, but Korean activists are still being held. The first bus of 150 Korean women who are reportedly "released" has finally left the courthouse. Police say they’re taking them back to the camp they’ve been staying at. However, people are worried that the women might actually being taken to the airport to be deported. People are worried about what condition they are in.
(ii) 700-800 protesters (primarily Korean and Southeastern nationals) are still detained. Seventy-two imprisoned activists have declared a hunger strike inside the Kwuntong Jail.
(iii) Fifty activists and lawyers are visiting the 200-plus protesters who are still detained at the San Uk Ling Immigration Centre. Although more than 200 are inside, only the names of 40 are known. Legal Team: 28319827 (HK).
(iv) The 150 Korean women who were reportedly released last night have been released and were not deported. Some protesters have been released, but Korean activists are still being held.
(v) Back in the UK, in Reading, around 20-30 anti-capitalists, environmentalists, students and others marched to Starbucks to make a free cafe and anti-World Trade Organisation demonstration in the town centre. Read article.
(vi) As prisoners have started to be released, like 155 released women early in the morning of 19th, many are bearing witness of police brutality and inhuman treatment. Read the statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) and see the video. There is also a video of the pressconference.

Sunday December 18th:
(i)The police have started arresting the 1000 protestors held in the area of Wanchai. The arrests will continue throughout the morning.
(ii) All of our sources say that almost all of the people who were arrested early this morning are still waiting to be arraigned. According to a lawyer, as of now the charges they are facing are still unclear and may involve jail time and/or deportation for foreigners. Many of the detainees are Korean and some are Southeast Asian, and police are not providing them with information in the languagues they speak. In addition, police are not allowing interpreters to see the prisoners.
(iii) A rally is being held at the protest zone. See video. All the Hong Kong activists have now been released with $1,000 HKD bails. A march will leave from there heading for Kwuntong - where the incarcerated activists are being held. Activists will be running a relay hunder strike and camping outside of the detention facility, to demonstrate their solidarity with the Korean farmers and others who were arrested last night.
(iv) A crowd of 7,000 people took part in the march to mark the end of a week of anti-WTO Protests. Read article. There was a strong contingent of migrant workers, and lots of locals. At the conclusion of the march 200 Koreans and some of their local supporters sat down right outside a fence on the periphery of the legitimized protest zone. Later on a crowd of 400 people gathered.
(v) Fifteen people - mostly Hong Kong activists - are gathered outside the Kwuntong jail in solidarity with those locked up, drumming with the hope that the activists who are inside will be able to hear them.
(vi) Outside the Kwuntung jail nearly 20 people are still banging on the police barricades and otherwise being rowdy and cheerful as they continue to demonstrate their support for the WTO protesters who are in detention. Some police are setting up in the area with riot shields, and the police presence continues to grow.
(vii) 40-50 people are gathering outside the Kwungtung courthouse. See video. One woman announced that contrary to maintream news reports, no one really knows what is going on with the legal statuses of the prisoners. Some activists fear that police hold special antipathy for the male Korean protesters and will retaliate on them.

Saturday December 17th:
(i) Pakistan's Commerce Minister and facilitator Humayun Akhtar Khan has stated "no breakdowns or breakthroughs" had occurred during the WTO talks, although with news circulating that no new agreement may be signed, the International League of Peoples' Struggle (ILPS) are now preparing for a "celebratory mass action" tomorrow.
(ii) Big protests are expected, reports say people are confronted with a large police presence. The police are using a lot of pepperspray and rubber bullets to try and disperse people.
(iii) Hong Kong Police stopped the protest from approaching the conference center. Teargas and rubber-bullets are used. Some of the protesters are injured. 900 people are besieged in Wanchai near the conference center. Some protestors are charging police lines using metal barricades. No-one has been arrested so far.
(iv) It has been reported that hundreds of protesters from South Korean farmers' groups, have managed to brake through police lines, although were prevented from actually getting inside. Fifty riot police rushed inside the building. They are not allowing anyone out. Smoke could be seen rising from an area near the convention center and policemen could be seen preparing to use tear gas. Read article.
(v) Hong Kong has today been the scene of some very serious clashes between protesters and police. Forty-one people are reported to have been injured in the clashes, five of them police.
(vi) Hong Kong riot police began arresting activists after announcing by loudspeaker to the 900 cordoned-off demonstrators that they were going to take everyone into custody. Latest video's can be seen here (click on 'live cast'). There is also a live stream.
(vii) Back in the UK, in Reading, around 20-30 anti-capitalists, environmentalists, students and others marched to Starbucks to make a free cafe and anti-World Trade Organisation demonstration in the town centre. Read article.

Friday December 16th:
(i) Hong Kongers go on hunger strike in support of Korean farmers against WTO, starting 11am at the Protest Zone outside Conference venue. Read Declaration of Hunger Strike.
(ii) A text message circulated by activists this morning said that a Filipino activist was detained at an airport at 10am as he tried to enter the country.
(iii) Fifty Korean trade unionists stormed the Korean and US consulates in Hong Kong, spraypainting on the outside wall of the US consulate "Down, down WTO" and "No Bush." Reportedly, the unionists got into a scuffle with police officers. No one was arrested.
(iv) Hundreds of woman take part in the Women’s March Against the World Trade Organization (WTO) with the intent of demonstrating that worldwide—and certainly in Asia—peasant and low-income women suffer the worst effects of poverty, insecurity and displacement caused by WTO policies. See photos.

Thursday December 15th:
(i) About 500 Korean peasants are making very slow progress towards the convention centre while marching three steps and then lowering to their knees and bowing their heads to the ground. See photos.
(ii) Thousands march through Hong Kong - see photos - see video: 1 | 2
(iii) Fisherfolks marched down the Victoria Harbour, exchanging petitions to delegates.
(iv) Low Wage Workers and Migrants took action as part of a "consulate hopping" protest opposing the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). See article.
(v) Women Peasants lead march and parade to Conference protest zone.
(vi) Cultural Solidarity display lights, dancing, songs and chants outside convention centre.

Wednesday December 14th:
(i) Police threatened to raid a place where Korean farmers are staying and camping.
(ii) Police violence continues on protestors who demand right to protest at the conference
(iii) Indonesia migrants go to Indonesia Consulate to protest against government neglect of its people.
(iv) Korean farmers take over a road to hold a candle vigil for Lee Kyung-hae who commited suicide at WTO protests in Cancun.
(v) Girl protesting gets arrested for wearing 'too little'. See article and videoshots

Updates Dec 13th:
(i) Migrants, Farmers, Poor People, and Allies try to break police barriers who use pepper spray on demonstrators. One group tried to get closer to the WTO delegates by swimming towards the conference centre.
(ii) Police have raided office of Indonesian migrants two days in a row. [listen to audio].

On Saturday, December 10, three days before the 6th Ministerial World Trade Organization summit, Hong Kong police raided the offices of the Indonesian Migrant Worker's Union (IMWU). Although no one was injured or taken away, activists see the raid as part of a general build-up of state repression on activists. In an interview, Revitriyoso, an Indonesian artist and organizer with Institute for Global Justice, speaks about the raid.

Conferences, cultural events, mass mobilizations, and direct actions are being planned for the dates between December 11th and 18th. Organizations that are mobilizing to protest the WTO meeting and corporate globalization, and to present alternative proposals, include peasants and small farmers from the Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Korea. Events: A new media and social transformation conference and workshop will take place in early December. Global Exchange will bring a delegation/reality tour to Hong Kong and parts of China in December.

More video: From SWTOP:
Video Stream: March and Parade (A), Sun Dec 11
Video Stream: March and Parade (B), Sun Dec 11
Video Stream: Funeral at Conference Centre, Mon Dec 12
Video Stream: Day 1 MC6 - Rally, Protest, Direct Action, Tue Dec 13
Video Stream: Day 2 MC6 - Asian Rally and Candle Vigil, Wed Dec 14

Torrents: A collection of 20 videos from http://radiohongkong.de/ and http://swtop.no-ip.org/ has been posted as a single torrent to http://indytorrents.org - [download].

More articles: Lamy's "Development Package" Lies Unfurled | Its Always Christmas for the Big Service Corporations! | Asia Pacific Peasant Women Denounce the WTO | A Swimming Lesson from the Koreans | Aid for Trade : Poor Washing Abounds at the Sixth WTO Ministerial in Hong Kong

No to Air Expansion As Climate Issue Hots Up

02-12-2005 21:11 | Ecology | Globalisation | London | World

A coalition of eco-activists, climate change campaigners and local airport residents demonstrated in London outside the gala dinner of the the world's largest aviation industry conference on Tuesday 29th November. The area was heavily policed with mounted officers and dogs and pedestrian access to Tower Bridge bridge restricted. Aviation delegates arriving at London's Tower Bridge Walkways were greeted with a noisy protest and a brief attempt to block the route of delegate coaches was made.

Reports, pictures and video: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | video | Cambridge | Edinburgh | Australia

Earlier in the day it was reported that Earth First activists distrupted the aviation conference [report]. The campaigners were opposing plans to expand runways and drawing attention to the fact that aviation is one of the fastest growing cause of climate change. The actions also coincided with the begining of the UN Kyoto "COP 11 / MOP 1" Climate Conference in Montreal, Canada, which runs until 9th December [Official website | Climate Justice Convergence Centre | Climate Justice Blog]

On the same day Tony Blair's 'pro-nuclear' energy review speech was also disrupted by Greenpeace activists at the annual CBI conference [GP report | earlier Downing St. 'coal' blockade report]. Campaigners are now preparing for the International Day of Climate Protest this Saturday, 3rd December, with climate demonstrations planned in over 30 countries - see UK Details | International Info. A late summer Climate Action Camp for 2006 has also been recently announced.

Also see: Climate Change IMC | IMC SouthCoast Runway to Ruin Feature (Nov 05)
Indymedia Pre-G8 2005 Climate Change Resources + Reports |
SchNEWS on Nuclear Power Craze | PlanetStupid | Stop Climate Chaos Coalition | Pledge To Take Action Against Airport Expansion | Raised Voices: Climate Testimonies | Heathrow's Third Runway challenged by villagers

G8 2005, Gleneagles: Repression, Resistance and Clowns

14-07-2005 23:00 | G8 2005 | Globalisation | World

All over Scotland, (dis)organisations as varied as the grassroots network dissent! and the largely conservative coalition "make poverty history" protested against the 2005 G8 summit in Gleneagles. The reasons were as varied as the forms to express disagreement, from marching to blockading, from clowning to filming, from talking to direct action. Although police from all over the UK were busy containing protesters in pens, arresting, searching and holding them under section 60 [Legal Support Group statement], discontent with the G8 agenda was voiced in many significant places and eventually supported by international solidarity.

Read the Full Article for summaries on issues, actions, timelines, repression and resistance in Scotland from Saturday 2 July to Friday 8 July. And check G8 Info for quick links and resources.

[ Legal Support | Medical Support | Activist Trauma Support: +44-796 240 6940 | Missing Persons/Prison support: +44-131-208 0767 ]

G8 Info

03-07-2005 17:34 | Globalisation | Social Struggles | World

Background info : Why Are People Protesting? [more] | Groups and Websites | Protests and Events
Read latest G8 coverage : Indymedia Scotland and IMC UK G8 topic pages [ RSS feeds: Newswire | Features ]
Video : Collected G8 Video Coverage - list of links | Upload your videos
Radio : See G8 Radical Radio Collective website or Global Radio Indymedia Newswire for streams or archive material.
Photo: IMC Photo Library and Search website

G8 Official Statement | Campaigns Responses

G8 Reports - 2 July

02-07-2005 15:49 | G8 2005 | Globalisation | Social Struggles | World

For full collected reports see IMC G8 Newsblast

At least 200,000 demonstrators from very different backgrounds, ranging from religous organisations to samba bands and the Infernal Noise Brigade to the Clown Brigade, joined today's Make Poverty History march in Edinburgh. The organisers had called for people to wear white clothes. The march was set up with staggered starting times, but because of the number of people and small funnelled start gate many were unable to join the actual march. Report
Photos: [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 ]
Video: [ Interviews
Audio: [ interviews | speeches ]

Before the start of the official march, residents of Craigmillar, the most deprived area of Edinburgh, joined with anti-G8 protestors camping on a park in their estate. They marched through the estate to show their opposition to poverty here and abroad.

An anti-capitalist block broke away from the main march and was cordoned off by riot cops. People are being released in small groups, others appear to be held and photographed under a Section 60 order (which police later confirmed was applied to whole city centre). There are two possible arrests. [ timeline | report]

Photos: [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 ]

Other events happened during or after the official march (and we're not talking about Live 8). Faeries moved about the march, as did detatchments of the Clown Army (Photos: 1 | 2). Break Dancers gathered in Bristo Square in an attempt to 'Break Poverty' (photos). Capitalists marched in support of the G8 [1]. An impromptu street party (photos) on one of the roads closed for the march, with samba and music from the Infernal Noise Brigade, lasted until midnight. At that point, police moved the party to the nearby Meadows in order to re-open the road, resulting in one arrest.

AUDIO: "Voices from Africa" Conference - G8 - Migrants - Aid, Trade, Debt - HIV

In the wake of the Governments much hyped "Commission for Africa" came a reply - a conference not so much "for" Africa, as from Africans.

There were excellent presentations and speeches by the usual suspects - Patrick Harvie, Tommy Sheridan, Aamer Anwar, representatives from Oxfam and G8 alternatives - but the most succesful aspect to the conference, what made it really striking, was the African speakers.

The conference was held at Caledonian University - Glasgow - 23rd April 2005.

Argentina: Workers Defend Zanon Occupied Factory

Neuquen: The workers of Zanon and other social organizations mobilized in front of the central courthouse on April 21 to defend their factory against mounting attacks. At a moment when the courts and government must make a “political and legal decision” concerning the ceramics factory that has been producing under worker control since 2001 – legal attacks, death threats and physical attacks against the workers have increased.

A delegation of 30 workers traveled some 1,200 kilometers to manifest their determination to defend the factory at all costs. Inside the courthouse a small delegation of workers presented a petition with thousands of signatures from all over the world in support of the workers of Zanon who have set an example that workers can produce and manage even better without a boss or owner.

Read more...

Background
Zanon Kidnap/Torture: [en][es][fr][de][gr]
March for Expropriation Law: [en][es][it]

Links: [Zanon/FaSinPat Site][Grupo Alavío] [Argentina Indymedia][WorkersWithoutBosses.net][Zmag: Argentina]

Mass Anti-War Protests Mark 2nd Anniversary of Attack on Iraq

Around the world, anti-war protests have been held on the 2nd anniversary of the attacks on Iraq [see global pictures].

On Saturday 19th March in London, a massive protest took place, passing by the US Embassy where members of the Military Families Against the War laid a coffin to remember the 100,000 plus dead caused by the war. Organisers claimed up to 200,000 people had marched through the streets of London. [see Short report | Statement to Blair + Bush | Policing Pictures | Anti-war Demo Pics | Samba Protest Pics | Creative Protest Images | Stop the War Demo Pics | Troops Out Images | Portrait Pictures | OutRage! Protest | Samba Surveillance | Policing Pictures + Report | US Embassy Pics | Assorted Protest Pictures | Picture Story | Placard-spotting Pics + Report | Summer of Dissent | Video Clips]

March 19th also marked the start of 'Counter Terror: Build Justice' - an International Month Of Peace Action.

The "Troops Home" demonstration was organised by the Stop The War Coalition, CND and the Muslim Association of Great Britain, and followed several days of activities at a Peace Camp set up in Trafalgar Square [see pics 1 | 2].

Protests also took place in Glasgow, Scotland with around 2000 people demonstrating [see pics and reports 1 | 2] and Dublin in Ireland [see pics and reports 1 | 2 | 3].

Over 50,000 people marched in Brussels against the new EU Bolkestein Directive, proposed new attacks on public services, and labour reforms in a European Action Day that took place just days before the EU summit. There were also anti-war protests in Athens (2, 3, video) Barcelona, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Italy (2), Melbourne (2), Poland (2, 3, 4, 5), Sydney, Johannesburg and many other cities.

Protests also took place in across across the US. See major feature report for San Francisco where over 10,00 people took to the streets - see also New York ( Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 Video: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 ) , Chicago (Photos: 1 | 2 Video: 1 ), and Fayetteville, North Carolina ( Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 ) .

Thousands also took to the streets in Portland (Photos), smaller towns in Oregon ( Photos: 1 | 2 ), Las Vegas ( Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 ), Baltimore (Photos: 1) , St. Paul ( Photos: 1 ) , Boston (Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 ), Houston ( Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 ), Madison ( Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 Video: 1 ), Nashville ( Photos: 1 ), Miami ( Video: 1 ) Atlanta ( Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 Video: 1 ) , Pittsburgh (Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 ), Champaign Illinois ( Photos: 1 ), Cleveland ( Photos: 1 ) , and Milwaukee. Elsewhere in California, thousands took to the streets of Los Angeles (Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 ) and many people from all over the Central Valley gathered in Fresno for "the Rally in the Valley" (Photos: 1 | 2 Video: 1 | 2 ). There was a protest in San Diego (Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 ) and in Eureka, thousands braved the rain to demand an end to the occupation of Iraq and the immediate withdrawal of US troops (Photos). On Friday, there was a protest in Reedley (Photos)

Guatemala fights with riots and strikes against the Free Trade Agreement

For about one week the economy of Guatemla has practically been shut down by strikes. And there is no end in sight. Primarily the protests are against the ratification of the central american free trade agreement CAFTA with the USA. But many people in Guatemala want to also bring down the neo-conservative government.

More information:
[ Guatemala section on Chiapas Indymedia | report | FTAA protests Imc | Indymedia San Fransisco Bay | pictures | original article on Indy Germany | coverage by Christian Aid | BBC world ]

Background information:

Martial Law Declared in Nepal

04-02-2005 12:33 | Globalisation | Indymedia | Repression | World

Nepal: All communication links were cut after the King Gyanendra's announcement of suspending parliament and fundamental rights, on Tuesday, 1st of february.
Airlinks have been closed, roads blocked, other transport links delayed. Armed security forces in riot gear are deployed. Leaders of major political parties, trade unions and student organisations are under house arrest or detained. Army is stationed in the editorial offices of all national dailies in order to censor. Outside of Kathmandu, the Maoist strike is apparently observed.

A student demonstration at Prithvi Narayan Campus in Pokhara was fired on by a military helicopter gunship leaving several protestors badly injured if not dead; all FM radio broadcasts outside of Kathmandu are blocked and those broadcasting in Kathmandu play only entertainment-oriented programmes; the BBC FM station recently established in Kathmandu is forbidden from broadcasting the news in Nepali; news stands outside of the Valley have been closed; and a 72-hour blockade on long-distance public bus travel in and out of Kathmandu is in place.

[ full report] [ Zmag Coverage 1 | 2 ]

Painting with the Zapatista in Scotland

“The art world belongs to everybody. It is not just for the illuminated that have access to the so-called temples of art. It’s like the history made by the people and now it is up to us to make worlds where many worlds fit, to paint them, to sing them, to write poems to the free men and women and to sing and sing. Let the words and the music and the poems and the colours announce that art belongs to everybody and is for everybody, like this world, like these dreams, like freedom!”. Gustavo C. P.

[Edinburgh Chiapas Solidarity Group | Glasgow Zapatista Solidarity Group | Indy UK Zapatista section | IMC Chiapas | Indy Scotland ]

Demonstrations and actions against the WEF in Switzerland

19-01-2005 22:04 | Globalisation | Repression | World

Last Saturday 15th of january 2005, the first demonstration against the World Economic Forum in Davos has taken place in Winterthur, Switzerland. About 400 people demonstrated without any conflict arising. Another 400 demonstrators voiced their resistance in Chur and Adelsberg to the forthcoming WEF proceeding from 26-30th of January. In Aarau a creative action happened, whilst in Thun a political flashmob confused passers-by, leading to a spontaneous protest. In Heiden, an attack against the UBS, a giant bank consortium, occured. In Zurich, an anti-repression group burnt down a training camp for anti-terrorist units in protest against the WEF security preperations. In Bern, the "Tour de Lorraine", educates with films, theatre and gigs.

On Saturday 22 January a day if Descentralised Creative Actions was called agiainst the WEF summit. Around 1.500 people (Italian report) took part in a series of civil disobedience actions [Timeline in Italian].
Berna: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17
Davos: 1 | 2 | 3
Burgdorf: 1
At the same time, there was a solidarity action in Oxfrod.

More protests are planned during the week in Berna, Davos, Lugano and Basilea. For more up to date information see:
[AntiWEF 2005 | IMC Switzerland - links to languages ]

Indigenous Fightback in Southern Mexico

At the end of last year activists from UK Indymedia spent a month in Mexico. A country where the gap between rich and poor is higher than ever and extreme poverty is evident everywhere. However in the southern states of Oaxaca and Chiapas we encountered some truly inspiring tales of indigenous resistance.

In Oaxaca CIPO-RFM are organising direct action against the polititions and institutions that oppress them. They organise through democratic assemblies and maintain a CIPO PROTEST CAMP which has been attacked by the authorities. The state repression against them has recently increased though they remain defiant and should hopefully be speaking at UK events this February.

In neighbouring Chiapas we visited the Zapatista Caracol of Oventic. Here we interviewed the Zapatistas about their present situation. It is now exactly 11 years since the 1994 uprising, we were shown some of their more impressive achievements including the health service and education systems that they have installed for local people. They are presently appealing for international assistance for the Oventic.

NB Most links are to IMC photo essay posts.

World Globalisation Feature Archive

Crucial Evidence 'Mislaid' in Genoa G8 Diaz Trial

Indymedia journalist shot dead by paramilitary during protest in Oaxaca, Mexico

Camping Against G8 And For Something Completely Different.

G8 Summit 2006. St. Petersburg, Russia

Worldwide Anti-War Protests: March 18th Reports

Witnesses Give Evidence in Genoa Diaz Trial

Stop the UN's Plans for a New Massacre in Haiti

Mass protests meet WTO in Hong Kong

No to Air Expansion As Climate Issue Hots Up

G8 2005, Gleneagles: Repression, Resistance and Clowns

G8 Info

G8 Reports - 2 July

AUDIO: "Voices from Africa" Conference - G8 - Migrants - Aid, Trade, Debt - HIV

Argentina: Workers Defend Zanon Occupied Factory

Mass Anti-War Protests Mark 2nd Anniversary of Attack on Iraq

Guatemala fights with riots and strikes against the Free Trade Agreement

Martial Law Declared in Nepal

Painting with the Zapatista in Scotland

Demonstrations and actions against the WEF in Switzerland

Indigenous Fightback in Southern Mexico

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