Hamburg, Germany: Celebrations as right-wing minister must go
alien8 | 20.08.2003 15:21 | Free Spaces | Social Struggles | World
Parties and celebrations took place in Hamburg, northern Germany, last night, as the local home office secretary - Ronald Schill - was sacked, due to scandals and mismanagement within the Hamburg city council. Mr Schill, the leader of a new far-right party, was the vice mayor and responsible for recent heavy repression against left-wing/alternative groups and social movements in Hamburg, including the eviction of the Bambule trailer park, which had led to a wave of protests and demonstrations.
Together with Ronald Schill, his best mate Mr Wellinghausen had to leave the local government. During the 2 years they both had been in office, they had been on a mission to repress left-wing political activity in Hamburg and to abolish alternative lifestyles. They were responsible for the eviction of Bambule last November (see reports at 
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2002/11/45516.html and http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2002/11/45481.html) and for the heavy and brutal police activity on the streets of Hamburg during the following months. But with these acts they had also initiated a waive of protests and demonstrations which took place almost on a daily basis, and they had thereby created a new social movement.
Mr Schill served as the main target for the protests - for several months you could hear the call "Schill must go" in the streets almost daily. He was the most right-wing and most outrageous person in the conservative city government elected 2 years ago, and also amongst the worst in German politics. One of his last acts had been to equip the Hamburg police force with designer clothes and Harley Davidson motorbikes (while cutting social services due to "lack of money")
His departure yesterday was first met with disbelief, then with an outbreak of joy by many in Hamburg, especially by the left-wing / alternative / activist communities. In the evening, several thousand people met for a carnevalesque demonstration around the alternative neighbourhood "Schanzenviertel", and later a massive drum'n'bass party took place in the street in front of the main social centre, the "Rote Flora". Colourful placards and costumes could be seen, while fireworks lit the sky...
As the party came to a close late at night, police amassed heavily in the surrounding streets, finally attacked the crowd with several water cannons and re-took the street. Somehow it seemed they wanted to participate in the celebration and didn't know any other way... who knows... but if it made them happy... There are no reports of injuries, and the memory of that night will be one of festive celebrations, even if there's still a lot to do to achieve the declared aim of those celebrating: to bring down the entire government.
There are some pictures on IMC Germany (unfortunately with few images of the dancing party crowd):
http://de.indymedia.org/2003/08/60010.shtml
http://de.indymedia.org/2003/08/60000.shtml
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2002/11/45516.html and http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2002/11/45481.html) and for the heavy and brutal police activity on the streets of Hamburg during the following months. But with these acts they had also initiated a waive of protests and demonstrations which took place almost on a daily basis, and they had thereby created a new social movement. Mr Schill served as the main target for the protests - for several months you could hear the call "Schill must go" in the streets almost daily. He was the most right-wing and most outrageous person in the conservative city government elected 2 years ago, and also amongst the worst in German politics. One of his last acts had been to equip the Hamburg police force with designer clothes and Harley Davidson motorbikes (while cutting social services due to "lack of money")
His departure yesterday was first met with disbelief, then with an outbreak of joy by many in Hamburg, especially by the left-wing / alternative / activist communities. In the evening, several thousand people met for a carnevalesque demonstration around the alternative neighbourhood "Schanzenviertel", and later a massive drum'n'bass party took place in the street in front of the main social centre, the "Rote Flora". Colourful placards and costumes could be seen, while fireworks lit the sky...
As the party came to a close late at night, police amassed heavily in the surrounding streets, finally attacked the crowd with several water cannons and re-took the street. Somehow it seemed they wanted to participate in the celebration and didn't know any other way... who knows... but if it made them happy... There are no reports of injuries, and the memory of that night will be one of festive celebrations, even if there's still a lot to do to achieve the declared aim of those celebrating: to bring down the entire government.
There are some pictures on IMC Germany (unfortunately with few images of the dancing party crowd):
http://de.indymedia.org/2003/08/60010.shtml http://de.indymedia.org/2003/08/60000.shtml
alien8