Intergalactic g8 protest camp grows
Bento | 29.05.2003 15:08 | Evian G8 | Cambridge
Hundreds of people streamed into the protest camps at Annemasse, France this morning as the build up for protest against the g8 leaders summit continues. Bento reports from one of the two camps, Intergalactic.
After a long midnight walk, made easier by a lift from a supportive resident we made it to the Intergalactic protest camp. Pitching our tents by moonlight we went to sleep to the sounds of reggae in the Zoo concert area amongst the woods between our camp and the anti-capitalist camp VAAAG.
The camp seemed empty last night, but when we woke to the sounds of birds and looked out at the huge mist covered field the camp had already grown. We enjoyed a organic breakfast from the excellent RumpenPlan collective of Amsterdam, as we watched more people stream in. Rumpenplan are one of many kitchens in the various barrios which are the basic infrastructure of the camp; they have organised food at cost from Jose Bove's farmers organisation, Confederation Paysan.
Our barrio, the Biozone is organisd on the themes of ecological and social justice. It has a large big top, bar and is meeting regularly to organise logistics and pass on information about actions. Other barrios such as "disobedience" are organised in a similar way.
There are now people here from all over Europe and the world from Miami to Melbourne; Latin Americans and people from Africa.
Discussions are underway about how best to disrupt the g8 meeting, in particular blockading roads to the summit over the weekend, and coordinating with activists in Geneva and Laussane. Meetings are held in French and English, and sometimes German.
There is a zero police presence in the camp, but there are two vans at the entrance; occasionally a military helicopter appears above.
This afternoon the two camps will march to the local village of Annemasse to communicate with the local French citizens and ask for their patience and support. The rally will also put foward the demand that the repression that led to the death of Carlo Giuliani at the g8 actions in Genoa in 2001 not be repeated.
Tomorow many people will join a march in Geneva against the International Organisation for Migration and for freedom of movement, organised by the noborders network (www.noborders.org).
Meanwhile the discussions, forums, films and partying continues at Intergalactic.
The camp seemed empty last night, but when we woke to the sounds of birds and looked out at the huge mist covered field the camp had already grown. We enjoyed a organic breakfast from the excellent RumpenPlan collective of Amsterdam, as we watched more people stream in. Rumpenplan are one of many kitchens in the various barrios which are the basic infrastructure of the camp; they have organised food at cost from Jose Bove's farmers organisation, Confederation Paysan.
Our barrio, the Biozone is organisd on the themes of ecological and social justice. It has a large big top, bar and is meeting regularly to organise logistics and pass on information about actions. Other barrios such as "disobedience" are organised in a similar way.
There are now people here from all over Europe and the world from Miami to Melbourne; Latin Americans and people from Africa.
Discussions are underway about how best to disrupt the g8 meeting, in particular blockading roads to the summit over the weekend, and coordinating with activists in Geneva and Laussane. Meetings are held in French and English, and sometimes German.
There is a zero police presence in the camp, but there are two vans at the entrance; occasionally a military helicopter appears above.
This afternoon the two camps will march to the local village of Annemasse to communicate with the local French citizens and ask for their patience and support. The rally will also put foward the demand that the repression that led to the death of Carlo Giuliani at the g8 actions in Genoa in 2001 not be repeated.
Tomorow many people will join a march in Geneva against the International Organisation for Migration and for freedom of movement, organised by the noborders network (www.noborders.org).
Meanwhile the discussions, forums, films and partying continues at Intergalactic.
Bento
Comments
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it is great here
30.05.2003 08:46
Maybe I am only so optimistic because most of the groups havent arrived yet, e.g; the SWP/GR lot is till missing...
It is fantastic here absolutely nice;
ab