Sorry for what happened to you. The title of my comment only refers to the first paragraph where you are complaining that the police didn't talk to you. Maybe they didn't speak English? And even if they did they wouldn't have to ,because Switzerland is neither part of the U.K., the U.S. nor a colony of either. This is by no means an excuse for the violence, it actually has nothing to do with it, just something I've noticed with English native speakers. Make an effort when you go travelling (including summit-hopping), the "good ol' days" of the British Empire are over and I don't suppose you intend to further Americanisation of the rest of the world .

ANNE ! why did the swiss regime draft in 1000s of german riot cops with equipment ?

all the best for a quick recovery & a rapid return to trouble.

David

Switzerland has 3 distinct official languages, French, German, and Italian, and they're only spoken in certain parts of the country. Genevea is in the French territory, so the German-speaking troops probably came from the interior of the country. Bern, the capital is located there.
...And yes, many people in Western Europe speak at least a smattering of English.

Switzerland has 4 distinct official langages,German,french,Italian and Rumantsch!
Go to "www.admin.ch" and see!

Well, you play with fire, your going to get burned!!

The guy has travelled all that way to interfere with the smooth and efficient running of an foreign state, puts himself in a dangerous situation, and then moans when something bad happens?

He shouldn’t have been there in the first place, he knew he was breaking the law and now were supposed to be all teary eyed for him? I think not

It good to see the French and Swiss security forces seem to be doing an excellent job in ensuring that this important summit goes ahead.

Full marks to the French especially for their excellent security operation and the professional conduct of their security forces; they have been a credit to the whole French nation.

Well done to the Swiss as well, although it has shown that they are not as proficient as dealing with these terrorists who turn up every time there is an important meeting than the French, they seem to have given a good account of themselves so far.

Lets just hope this invasion of two states by a multi national rag bag force of terrorists will continue to be contained with minimum damage, loos of life and injuries to civilians and members of the security forces.

As for the "demonstrator" if the local security forces have to deal with them robustly to contain them and some get injured, then so be it, they wanted a fight, they got one, and now they don’t even have the honour and dignity to take their defeat like the anti capitalist "warriors" they claim to be.

These people deliberately put themselves in harms way, and then complain when they don’t get their own way. When they realise that democracy mean the "will of the people" not the will of a very small percentage of rabble-rousers, they will understand that to ensure the people of France and Switzerland get rid of these undesirables. Their security forces must treat the "protestors" with vigorous methods to ensure that they don’t come back.

Again applause for the French and Swiss security forces and keep up the good work folks, we’ve got these idiots in the UK next year and if the proper, democratically elected states like Italy, France and Switzerland continue to treat these people like the terrorists they are, the numbers will be as disappointing next year to them as this years numbers have been.

I am ashamed that some of my countrymen (British) have went to oppose a force of order, stability and economic growth like the G8, and if they put themselves in the position where like the above mentioned idiot did, and then moan when something happens to them, it makes me even more ashamed.

I don't even bother to reply to Andy Mullen's comment - contributions like his are the price for open publishing.

But Anne's comment, which addressed Guy Smallmann directly, needs a reply. It makes me angry if a person hospitalised due to police brutality is being thoughtlessly accused of a colonial attitude. Sorry, Anne, that's just bullshit.

Even if the author of the article would NOT have been hit by a targeted concussion granade, your comment would not make sense.

Guy Smallmann's report doesn't mention in which language the protesters spoke to the German speaking riot cops. A brief look at indymedia germany and ch would have showed you that there was a strong German speaking participation in the G8 protests, even if you don't speak German yourself. Maybe you haven't heard that quite a few locals in Geneva are French/German bilingual either.

I hope that when you wrote your comment, you were not aware that Guy Smallmann's injury is more serious than a broken leg. His leg was hit by a targeted concussion grenade, and at the time of writing his report, his supporters were not sure whether he would ever be able to walk again. For a professional news photographer, that's rather heavy. Luckily, it now looks like he will be able to walk again, after long physiotherapy.
Have a look at the pics of his injury
 http://www.uk.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=70794&group=webcast
and of him being hunted by the police
 http://www.ssi-media.com/pigbrother/GuyHasenjagd.htm.

I say respect to Guy for putting together this report with the usual accuracy and quality pics, without moaning and pitying himself.

hopefully back soon!