Full Feature: G8 Protests. Saturday, 31 May 2003
imc uk | 16.06.2003 14:41
This feature includes all links from previous imc uk may 31 versions, plus significant links from various collections. imc uk newswire posts from after June 4th are not likely to be included.
Fire On The Lake
Saturday 31 May
When someone overly panics, locals in the Lake Leman area calm him down by saying that "the Lake will not be on fire", meaning that nothing can be so dramatic that it would set the lake on fire. On the evening of Saturday 31st, protesters symbolically set fire to the lake.
On Friday night, more than 5,000 inhabitants in the activist "villages" debated the best strategies to blockade the G8 summit until the early hours. In the morning, a protest at the Socialist Party Conference in Annemasse was teargassed. Some G8 delegates were trapped in the building. Streets were blocked in Lausanne. Many fires were lit at night in Geneva, mostly using symbolic targets. Police was everywhere, particularly at the media center at L'Usine.
Collections and Resources
Imc Uk Timeline | Imc Uk Full Feature
Maps of Lausanne | Geneva | Annemasse | area
Call [(en) | (fr)] Fire Map | Corporate Media Coverage
Manifestos on "violent direct action" | Queers Against the G8 | BioZone versus the G8.
Saturday May 31, 2003
When someone overly panics, locals in the Lake Leman area calm him down by saying that "the Lake will not be on fire", meaning that nothing can be so dramatic that it would set the lake on fire. The fire actions meant that nothing is impossible in the current political situation, that in fact the lake IS on fire: with the privatisation of water resources and public space, increasing control of borders and people as well as communication channels; and with the new type of warfare that we've seen developing in the recent Iraq war.
Discussing and Protesting
The best tactics for the main G8 action day on June 1 were discussed in the protest villages (VAAAG) until the early hours of Saturday morning, and continued during the day.
Reports [1 | 2 | 3]
Meanwhile, the Austrian Social Forum sent a video-postcard straight from from it's meeting, and a conference at Geneva University discussed the politics of Worldbank and IMF, dropping the debt and multinationals like Nestle. [Pics & Report (ge)]
A call to "welcome" the first G8 delegations at Geneva airport between 6 and 7pm went out [ Report].
Police Preparations
In the afternoon, 3 police busses took positions at the highway between Geneva and Lausanne near Coppet, and at the police station in Lausanne. 3 busses were full of German police. At night, the old city of Geneva was full of police, particularly around the media center L'Usine. The border between Geneva and Annemasse was due to close ahead of the main day of action on June 1.
Read the Lausanne Tear Gas Policy | 'Order to Shoot' for the Swiss Army in Evian.
Annemasse & Lausanne
Annemasse In the morning, a protest at the Socialist Party Conference was teargassed. Some G8 delegates were trapped in the building. The police drove them back with teargas. Baricades were set up and windows broken. Protesters were impressed by the support they received from locals.
Timeline | Report | Dispatch | Videos [1 | 2 | 3]
Lausanne Lots of people and a Critical Mass out in the streets. Pics [1 | 2 | 3 | 4] Dispatch (fr)
Fires on the Lake
On the evening of Saturday 31st, protesters symbolically and litterally set fire to the lake. A burning raft was seen on the lake, and 50 fires were lit all around the shores of Lake Leman.
Pics | Fire Map
Geneva During the night, protesters attacked cars, the Opera House, the Grand Theatre, the Financial Building (a tax office), Tribune du Geneve, an HM, an Elf petrol station [Dispatch (fr)], cars and a bus-stop. Most of the targets were chosen for the symbolic meaning. One person was injured and three arrested Report (fr).
Dispatch [1 | 2 (fr)]
The police who had set up checkpoints all over the city, responded with tear gas, and tried to move the focus to L'Usine.
Timeline | Pics [1 | 2 | 3]
Tension at L'Usine
L'Usine is a media centre in a legalized squat and culture center. On Saturday, L'Usine hosted 2 concerts. After midnight, hundreds of police were faced with many civilians who attempted to deescalate the situation. L'Usine was left alone for an hour, until it was surrounded again at 1.30, when young people or black block had a battle with police.
Press Release L'Usine (fr) | Timeline
Bedtime
At 1pm, the situation in town has calmed down Report (fr). The VAAAG media centre is without an internet connection, and the Intergalacticque media centre is jammed with people filing reports. People are going to sleep since tomorrow they have to get up early. At 3.30am, the city is finally quiet. Less than two hours later, the blockades will start.
Saturday 31 MayWhen someone overly panics, locals in the Lake Leman area calm him down by saying that "the Lake will not be on fire", meaning that nothing can be so dramatic that it would set the lake on fire. On the evening of Saturday 31st, protesters symbolically set fire to the lake.
On Friday night, more than 5,000 inhabitants in the activist "villages" debated the best strategies to blockade the G8 summit until the early hours. In the morning, a protest at the Socialist Party Conference in Annemasse was teargassed. Some G8 delegates were trapped in the building. Streets were blocked in Lausanne. Many fires were lit at night in Geneva, mostly using symbolic targets. Police was everywhere, particularly at the media center at L'Usine.
Collections and Resources
Imc Uk Timeline | Imc Uk Full Feature
Maps of Lausanne | Geneva | Annemasse | area
Call [(en) | (fr)] Fire Map | Corporate Media Coverage
Manifestos on "violent direct action" | Queers Against the G8 | BioZone versus the G8.
Saturday May 31, 2003
When someone overly panics, locals in the Lake Leman area calm him down by saying that "the Lake will not be on fire", meaning that nothing can be so dramatic that it would set the lake on fire. The fire actions meant that nothing is impossible in the current political situation, that in fact the lake IS on fire: with the privatisation of water resources and public space, increasing control of borders and people as well as communication channels; and with the new type of warfare that we've seen developing in the recent Iraq war.
Discussing and Protesting
The best tactics for the main G8 action day on June 1 were discussed in the protest villages (VAAAG) until the early hours of Saturday morning, and continued during the day.
Reports [1 | 2 | 3]
Meanwhile, the Austrian Social Forum sent a video-postcard straight from from it's meeting, and a conference at Geneva University discussed the politics of Worldbank and IMF, dropping the debt and multinationals like Nestle. [Pics & Report (ge)]
A call to "welcome" the first G8 delegations at Geneva airport between 6 and 7pm went out [ Report].
Police Preparations
In the afternoon, 3 police busses took positions at the highway between Geneva and Lausanne near Coppet, and at the police station in Lausanne. 3 busses were full of German police. At night, the old city of Geneva was full of police, particularly around the media center L'Usine. The border between Geneva and Annemasse was due to close ahead of the main day of action on June 1.
Read the Lausanne Tear Gas Policy | 'Order to Shoot' for the Swiss Army in Evian.
Annemasse & Lausanne
Annemasse In the morning, a protest at the Socialist Party Conference was teargassed. Some G8 delegates were trapped in the building. The police drove them back with teargas. Baricades were set up and windows broken. Protesters were impressed by the support they received from locals.
Timeline | Report | Dispatch | Videos [1 | 2 | 3]
Lausanne Lots of people and a Critical Mass out in the streets. Pics [1 | 2 | 3 | 4] Dispatch (fr)
Fires on the Lake
On the evening of Saturday 31st, protesters symbolically and litterally set fire to the lake. A burning raft was seen on the lake, and 50 fires were lit all around the shores of Lake Leman.
Pics | Fire Map
Geneva During the night, protesters attacked cars, the Opera House, the Grand Theatre, the Financial Building (a tax office), Tribune du Geneve, an HM, an Elf petrol station [Dispatch (fr)], cars and a bus-stop. Most of the targets were chosen for the symbolic meaning. One person was injured and three arrested Report (fr).
Dispatch [1 | 2 (fr)]
The police who had set up checkpoints all over the city, responded with tear gas, and tried to move the focus to L'Usine.
Timeline | Pics [1 | 2 | 3]
Tension at L'Usine
L'Usine is a media centre in a legalized squat and culture center. On Saturday, L'Usine hosted 2 concerts. After midnight, hundreds of police were faced with many civilians who attempted to deescalate the situation. L'Usine was left alone for an hour, until it was surrounded again at 1.30, when young people or black block had a battle with police.
Press Release L'Usine (fr) | Timeline
Bedtime
At 1pm, the situation in town has calmed down Report (fr). The VAAAG media centre is without an internet connection, and the Intergalacticque media centre is jammed with people filing reports. People are going to sleep since tomorrow they have to get up early. At 3.30am, the city is finally quiet. Less than two hours later, the blockades will start.
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