Plans for EU riot police
STATEWATCH press release, 2 October 2001 | 08.10.2001 22:15
The German government has sent a proposal for the create of "Special Units" to the EU "Heads of central bodies for public order and security" to counter protests at EU Council meetings and other international meetings.
In a report dated 20 September, the German government has proposed to other EU states that, in response to "events in Gothenburg and Genoa", each should form and make available "special units" to implement:
"joint and harmonised measures against travelling offenders committing violent acts" and proposes that:
"the preconditions must be established to enable one Member State to request the support of special units from other Member States"
Tony Bunyan, editor of Statewatch comments:
"We are living in very dangerous times in many senses. The use of armed and specially trained para-military police units to counter protests in the EU will tend to escalate violence not diminish it. But, more importantly, it is part of a strategy to treat protestors as the same kind of "threat" as terrorists. This can only lead to a curtailment of the right of free movement and the democratic right to demonstrate."
The full text of the report and analysis is on:
In a report dated 20 September, the German government has proposed to other EU states that, in response to "events in Gothenburg and Genoa", each should form and make available "special units" to implement:
"joint and harmonised measures against travelling offenders committing violent acts" and proposes that:
"the preconditions must be established to enable one Member State to request the support of special units from other Member States"
Tony Bunyan, editor of Statewatch comments:
"We are living in very dangerous times in many senses. The use of armed and specially trained para-military police units to counter protests in the EU will tend to escalate violence not diminish it. But, more importantly, it is part of a strategy to treat protestors as the same kind of "threat" as terrorists. This can only lead to a curtailment of the right of free movement and the democratic right to demonstrate."
The full text of the report and analysis is on:
STATEWATCH press release, 2 October 2001
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Comments
Hide the following 3 comments
Free......................
08.10.2001 23:34
Me
Agree with free
09.10.2001 06:03
hank kingsley
Hey *ank
09.10.2001 09:24
' just begging ' ?!?!?!?!?!?!
- apply same logic to say white overalls wearing crash helmets and padding are just begging for a beating right?
- ooh look that building with bars on is just begging to be violently evicted/trashed/robbed?
Jesus what's wrong with you? Get a grip, it's not what people look like it's what they do, right?
This goes a lot deeper that just worrying about some super fascists euro cop force - the measures being proposed in EU around terrorism (which have been suggested many times before but which now have impetus behind them) will target all political activity not just street stuff.
Responses are needed right across the whole spectrum of organising and campaigning - things will no doubt have to change and adapt and innovate.
trollmeister