G8 TALKS IN GENOA, ITALY - Jul 19-21 2001

Summer of Resistance Europe 2001 - Genoa

Urgent: Appeal for filing a suit for the Diaz school raid. Click here to find more about it.

Monday 1st October. Three German protesters are still in jail in Genoa. They've been reporting police butality and torture. Click here to send them your solidarity.

Sunday, 22nd July

Views from the streets:

Latest timeline (Central European Time)


1000 people attended an open press conference yesterday, hosted by GSF, to watch a documentary film by the prominent Italian filmmaker, Gillo Pontecorvo. This video showed footage of two men - seemingly police - dressed in Palestinian scarves and anarchy t-shirts and carrying baseball bats They were talking to and directing police lines. Between 60 and 95 people now thought to have been taken after Saturday's midnight raid; many are hospitalised. Sky was charged (reason unknown). According to a trusted media source, he is stable. He has two broken ribs and a punctured lung, and has been visited by UK consulate. Now, the situation total confusion over who has been injured and where they are - police will not give this information to protesters. Police policy is to treat all protesters as though they are under suspicion.

[20:00]Confirmed approximately 500 missing people in Genoa. Volunteer legal teams are trying to locate them, they may be in prisons.
[15:33]Reports are coming in that police are beating up people dressed in black in Piazzate Kennedy. The atmosphere is full of tension again. Information from hospital Galleria [main] source: doctor at hospital: 29 people wounded, 3 serious. 1 very serious. British consul visited him in hospital. There is a big police presence in hospitals; people in the hospitals have been reluctant to give details. 1 US 1 swiss, remainder swiss/german San Martino hospital: transfering people directly to jails/courts. (unclear which). wounded include broken arms, nose, head injuries. (men and women, more men). The doctor gave imc this information only after pressured to by IMC reporter inside hospital.
[14:00]The people found in Charles hospital only, wounded: 14 German, 1 English, 5 from Canada/US/Turkey. All under arrest and being transferred directly to Jails. They are seriously wounded, included broken bones and should not be moved.

Latest news: There will be a press conference held by the protesters at 15:00 (CET). There was a meeting held at 11:00 over what to do about last nights repression and we have yet to hear the results. Mainstream media are reporting that 6 uk people were arrested in last nights raid - although details are unconfirmed.

Last night: two buildings opposite each other in Via Cesare Battisti in Genoa, hosting the Indymedia Centre and the Genoa Social Forum were brutally raided by police just after midnight. Police used tear gas inside the buildings and baton charged against people sitting on the ground. 20 people are confirmed to be severely injured, one of them an IMC UK reporter. Police claim to have looked for weapons under Article 41 of the Italian law permitting a search without warrant, but have destroyed the legal teams' computer equipment, confiscated videos, floppies and hard disks, and have beaten people indiscriminately. 8 arrests have been made of which one person has been released, reporting to have been beaten heavily.

Read more: eye-witness from inside the buildings: inside IMC and inside GSF | the timeline of imc articles on the raid | latest on Italy and Global IMC

Planned solidarity actions in London, Dublin and Manchester.

Saturday, 21th July

Views from the streets:

Statement of Lawyers and Medical staff of theGenoa Social Forum
Account of Indymedia Italy worker about violence and police provocations State terror in Genoa
First hand Black Block report
Eyewitness: Police violence prompts chaos
A UK activist's personal report


Latest timeline(Central European Time)

[03:38]Picture of blood stains inside the GSF building posted on imc.it
[02:50] Report by betazine: At least one of the people arrested at the cafe/pizzaria at via trento in the evening is free, but under heavy shock - during the arrest, he's been heavily beaten up by the police
[02:19]20 confirmed HEAVILY injured; blood is everywhere on the pavement; 8 arrested; unconfirmed reports of 1 dead: see dutch/english/italian web radio. Radio gap (Italian) is online again as well.
[01:33]An eyewitness from IMC Belgium reports that police are confiscating video evidence showing police provocateurs;
[00:56]Police have baton charged INSIDE the Media Centre; 3 people have been brought outside on stretchers
[00:41]Italian police are confiscating floppy and videos from media centre. RadioGap was cut for more than 15 minutes. Now restarted broadcasting.
[00:07]The Media Centre in Via Cesare Battisti in Genoa has been invaded by police, they beat up people inside; a protestor lies unconscious on the ground outside; italian web radio Radio gap is offline
[22:47] Statement of Lawyers and medical staff of the Genoa Social Forum
[22:00] People are beginning to move towards railway stations and accomodation places
[21:50] Police provocateurs around the Media Centre
[20:25] 4000 people , mostly Communist party militants, passed Kennedy convergence center heading to Brignole station.
[18:27] 500 people in zona Marassi going home from the demo are being charged by Police.
[18:25] The group composed of mostly Tute Bianche and No Global are now in corso Castaldi, moving towards Carlini.
[18:20] A group of white overall are going to Carlini after having regrouped, a group of demonstrators of Global Rights Network is converging to Ciclamini camping site
[18:10] 1000-2000 people are rioting with police in piazza Giusti/corso Sardegna.
[18:07] 30.000 people in Quarto. Police are arresting everyone who arrives in the camping site Redipuglia
[18:03] Riots in via Tolemaide, under the tunnel in via Casarregis, in via Carnevari and piazza Dante between mixed groups and Police forces.
[18:00] Many people are trying to go towards Carlini Stadium to be finally safe.
[17:55] Corso Buenos Aires: a bank burns. Corso Italia: a building is on fire.
[17:50] There is a police round-up going on in corso Torino and corso Sardegna. 5.000 people in piazza Martinez. 2.000 people moving towards Nervi. The people in piazza Ferraris cannot go back to Kennedy. Random groups all over the city.
[17:20] Riots continue to disperse the demo. Badly wounded are coming both to the IMC centre and in the hospitals
[17:05] People are trying to converge towards Nervi.
[16:39] Meanwhile riots go on with some of the demo in corso Torino, where water cannons are approaching
[16:30] Police are trying to split the demo in thousands of small groups to better control them, and eventually repress them. They are still charging at people with tanks.
[16:03] A part of the demo has got to Brignole

[16:00] Police charges and teargas on the streets near the Media Center
[15:50] Police are trying to split up the demo while teargas is being dropped by the helicopters
[15:45] Police has attacked the human chain which protected the demo
[15:37] Mass arrests in Re di Puglia Camping
[15:30] The first blessed person has arrived here
[15:20] Teargas is being launched from the midst of the demo
[15:15] A big part of the demo has turned on via Casaregis and risks being blocked in a dead end. Another part of the demo is quiet in corso Torino
[14:53] Confirmed arrests of 10 people from COBAS and Network camping site
[14:37] The march is heading towards the final rally point at Piazza G. Ferraris. The vast avenue is now awash with banners from a wide coalition of groups; the issues of debt, ecology and social concerns connected to the summit very much to the collective mind set
[14:37] Officially 64 arrests were made yesterday
[14:35] Police charge the front of the demo
[14:14] Tear gas against the front of the demo without any reason
[14:00] More than 100,000 demonstrators. The head of the march is already in Piazza Kennedy.
[12:05] The Drop the Debt campaign has decided to go on with the planned march today.



Friday, 20th July

Views from the streets:

Plan for the Day - Direct Action Day
The Pink/Silver March - Tactical Frivolity
The "red zone" in Genoa is being expanded
Genoa heats up - Hot morning in Genova
The strategy of tension - Then and Now
Genoa? She's like a sister to me...
Hardt and Negri - on Genoa
Webcam in the Red Zone Unknown which Piazza

Latest timeline (Central European Time):

[22:33] Police are currently 'controlling' people around the indymedia centre (both from Piazza Kennedy and From Carlini Stadium)
[22:13] People are now able to leave Carlini Stadium. Plain clothed police are no longer 'controlling' people as they enter and leave
[20:35] Corso Europa (the Road leading to the Carlini Stadium) is completely closed at the moment
[20:22] Plain clothes police officers are currently 'controlling' everyone attempting to enter or leave the Carlini Stadium


[20:13] A building opposite the Convergence Centre at Piazza Kennedy is currently on fire.
[19:59] The pink block is moving towards Piazza Kennedy. Riots are still going here and there in the city
[19:41] Anyone walking out of Carlini stadium is being arrested. The Via Ciclamini field is surrounded by Police as the other camping sites.
[19:38] Reports of police arresting injured protestors in hospitals
[19:35] The Head of the Procura has issued an ordnance delaying the possibility to speak with lawayers until the transfer in jail (up to 48 hours)
[19:09] Another girl is heavily wounded due to a gunshot. Several others wounded
[18:17] At least one death is confirmed. By Police, by media, bycomrades and eye-witness. Most people thinks it was a men-height tear gas (but the van hit is another possibility).
[18:11] The demo is entering the Carlini Stadium
[18:05] Reports on UK radio say that the the demonstrator has died and was shot by a paramilitary policeman whilst he was attacking a van. After the shooting the police van ran over the man.
[17:53] A demostrator has been heavily wounded in the head by a tear gas or gunshot (still unconfirmed) in Piazza Limonda.
[17:48] Riots are beginning again in Brignole
[17:45] It's confirmed the wounding of two persons from gunshots.
[17:43] The demo wants to go towards Piazzale Kennedy but is stopped by Police
[17:38] During further charges by the Police using vans, reinforced cars and water cannon, the police have fired some shots; still unconfirmed about the results.
[17:22] Attac and Globalize resistance are almost arrived at Kennedy square with almost no tension.


[17:15] Charges go on and on to push the demo back towards carlini, while they would like to go towards the center.
[16:42] The demo in via Tolemaide is being attacked by the ploice again and again. The only way out is towards Carlini stadium but the demo wants to go on and try to break into the red zone.
[16:30] what remains of the Network/COBAS demo are managing to rejoin with part of the disobeyance block in via Tolemaide.
[16:23] Disobeyance Block is separeted in two parts. The head with protection and shields has many wounded from tear gases. The other part without protections are being heavily tear gased and charged in a tunnel. All this is happening between Corso Torino and Via Tolemaide.
[16:17] Police charge again with vans against the Networks and COBAS demos which were trying to get back to the camping; they are now going back towards the city centre.
[15:54] New charges of the Police against Disobedience block trying to break the Police siege.
[15:48] Cso torino/via tolemaide - police van destroyed by people that no one knows - these people are appearing immediately before the riot.
[15:36] Globalize Resistance and Attac Demo is moving towards Piazza Dante
[15:31] Black block is trying to join the Pink Block in Piazza Manin, as the police confront. Rumours and confirmations of infiltrates are building higher and higher
[15:28] Riots on the tail of the Network demo going back to the camping in via ciclamini
[15:21] After the first riots the Disobedience block is trying to regroup


[15:15] Riots with the Disobedience block go on; also present are a part of the black block
[15:09] Black Block is moving from Brignole to Piazza Corvetto
[15:06] Riots with the Disobedience block in Corso Sardegna and Corso Torino
[15:05] CUB demo is going quite smooth joined by the activists that stayed in the Centro Sociael Inmensa
[15:00] Black Block stopped in c.so Torino, the police is charging and using tear-gas
[14:52] Global Rights network and COBAS are retreating to the camping in via dei ciclamini
[14:48] In Piazza Dante pacific demo is being harassed, with arrests and beating of people completely inactive
[14:46] the Pink Block is blocked between the police and the pacifists
[14:42] The Globalize Resistance Demonstration is now in via Podestà, they are approx. 2500 persons
[14:42] Small confrontation and teargas against the Pink Block which is being chased into a closed street
[14:37] Near Piazza Carignano the Police waits for little groups of people to beat them hard when they are alone
[14:33] The Black Block is moving down Piazza Carnevali towards Brignole
[14:23] Water canons and teargas has been used against pink block activists trying to climb over red zone fences
[14:16] Global Rights Network and COBAS are leaving kennedy square via beach


[14:14] Ultimatum for the people inside piazza kennedy : 5 minutes to leave the square or the Police charges in from two sides
[14:10] gas station smashed in p. giusti - not burning yet... no police,1.500-2.000 people
[14:05] Globalize Resistance demo is blocked and surrounded by Police
[13:59] Several car burning in the city; in one case even the first two floors of a house have caught fire
[13:57] little charge against attac demo
[13:50] 3000 COBAS are in Kennedy Square, Disobedience Block goes smoothly, pink block goes on trying to break into the red zone with music and dance and the Black Block is coming to the Information centre completely disorganised
[13:37] 1000s of people are non-violently on via Alvarotti, coming from p Manin anto p. Corvetto, sitting in front of police
[13:35] Black Block is moving towards piazza Kennedy passing just few hundreds meters by the Information Centre
[13:28] The two pieces of COBAS demo are getting back together in piazza Kennedy
[13:23] First report of vulgar display of guns by Police forces during clashes with the anarchist group in Corso Torino
[13:17] Three doctors and an IMC activists are at the hospital after being beaten by Police without cause
[13:15] Pink Block and affinity groups start the red zone invasion in piazza corvetto
[13:13] In Piazza Manin, the Pink Block, pacifists and a little group of black blockers is discussing what to do


[13:09] The Black Block is moving from Brignole to Piazza Corvetto
[13:06] Clashes between police and the Disobediance Block in Corso Sardegna and Corso Torino
[13:05] CUB demo is going quite smooth joined by the activists that stayed in the Centro Sociel Inmensa
[12:00] The Black Block stopped in Corso Torino, police is charging and using teargas
[12:52] The Global Rights Network and COBAS demos are retreating to the camping in Via dei Ciclamini
[12:48] In Piazza Dante a pacifist demo is being harassed; even though people are arrested and beaten they are completely passive
[12:46] The Pink Block is stuck inbetween police and pacifists
[12:42] The Globalize Resistance demo is now in Via Podest, there are approx. 2500 persons
[12:42] Teargas being used against the Pink Block which is being chased into a closed street
[12:37] Near Piazza Carignano police are waiting for small groups of people to beat them up
[12:33] The Black Block is moving down Piazza Carnevali towards Brignole
[12:23] Water cannons and teargas being used against Pink Block activists trying to climb over red zone fences
[12:16] Global Rights Network and COBAS are leaving Piazza Kennedy via the beach
[12:14] Ultimatum for the people inside Piazza Kennedy : 5 minutes to leave the square or the Police charges in from two sides
[12:10] A gas station is being smashed in Piazza Giusti, but is not burning yet. No police present but 1.500-2.000 demonstrators
[12:05] Globalize Resistance demo is blocked and surrounded by Police


[11:59] Several cars are burning in the city; in one case even the first two floors of a house have caught fire
[11:58] The Convergence Centre is being sorrounded by police; nobody can get in or out
[11:50] 3000 COBAS people in Piazza Kennedy. The Pink Block continues to try to break into the red zone with music and dance; the Black Block is coming towards the Information centre completely disorganized
[11:37] 1000s of people converging non-violently in Via Alvarotti, having come from Piazza Manin on to Piazza Corvetto; they are sitting in front of police
[11:35] The Black Block is moving towards Piazza Kennedy, passing just a few hundreds meters away from the Information Center
[11:28] The two parts of the COBAS demo are joining together again at Piazza Kennedy
[11:23] Reports of police showing off their guns during clashes with an anarchist group at Corso Torino
[11:17] 3 doctors and an IMC activist are being beaten at the hospital by Police without any reason
[11:15] The Pink Block and affinity groups are beginning the red zone invasion at Piazza Corvetto
[11:11] Attac france and Attac italy demos have been concluded without any incidents
[11:53] The pink block goes on smoothly towards Piazza Manin
[11:43] 5000 thousands people are moving from Carlini Stadium
[11:42] Police charge through the barricades in Piazza Savonarola and arrest more people
[11:40] First arrest in Corso Italia, and a doctor has had his nose broken by police
[11:36] First launches of teargas against the anarchists in tail of the COBAS demo
[11:23] COBAS and Network for Global Rights leave Piazza da Novi towards La Foce
[11:21] Situation is getting tense in Piazza da Novi. 300 anarchist armed with sticks and helmets and stones have begun demolishing the first bank
[11:10] 300 people gather in Piazza Carignano


[11:09] Hundreds of people move from Piazza Savonarola to meet the network for Global Rights
[11:07] Police seal off demonstrators in Brignole Station
[10:59] Police prepares main squares as arenas to detain and violently control the demonstrators
[10:40] 2000 ppl with the pink block are moving towards the civil disobediance block
[10:28] 600 in piazza Manin with the NGOs
[10:16] 2000 protesters & 200 policemen in pza Novi. situation quite calm
[10:03] Spontaneous Demo of 1000 people in Quarto.
[09:49] Police search and leave the Genoa social centres; Inmensa and Pinelli
[09:35] Police have also surrounded the 'Quarto' accomodation place.
[09:16] Main squares are closed with containers, heavily guarded by police. [Picture]
[Picture]


Thursday, 19 July - latest news:

[7.30pm] The immigration demonstration continues --- [6.30pm] 150-200 Greeks in Ancona sent home --- [6.10pm]At least 50,000 people on the immigration demonstration. --- [5.30pm] Police charge the Greek demonstrators stopped in Ancona port --- [5pm] The immigration march has started: first estimate 20,000 people --- [3.30pm]Riots in the harbour of Ancona between police and Greek protestors. Another ship is blocked outside the harbour --- [3pm] A Czech-Austrian bus is held on the Austrian border for 3 hours --- [2.03pm] German people stopped on route --- [2pm] Brignole Train station closed --- [1.23pm] Radio Network GAP is on air --- [12.17am] Iranian protestors events

The anti-capitalist movement snowballs into Italy this weekend, July 19-21, to protest against the Group of Eight (G8) meeting taking place in Genoa. Hundreds of thousands of protesters, including anarchists, unionists, socialists, NGOs and others choosing to stand up to the most powerful governments of the planet, are converging in the city.

The G8 Summit, attended by member nations, France, Germany, Canada, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK and the US, plans directives to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, making decisions based purely on profit for the few and imposed on the voiceless many.

Unelected and unaccountable, these eight world leaders have, at a cost of £70 million and rising, turned Genoa into a war zone. Barricades are up, borders are closed, surface-to-air missiles are being deployed (!), and 18,000 police are posted throughout the city. An area around the decadent Ducal Palace, where the G8 will meet, has been declared a Red Zone - entry to this zone is denied to all but G8 participants, press, police and local residents.

Countless actions, talks and gatherings are taking place, and there are three main demonstrations. Up to 70000 people are reported to have attended a demo in defence of refugees and asylum seekers on Thursday [ Report ]; on Friday, a giant direct action demo will take place, organised by the Genoa Social Forum; and on Saturday, a Drop the Debt demo is planned.

[ italy.indymedia | what's wrong with the G8 (Leaflet) | official G8 web site

CLIMATE TALKS IN BONN, GERMANY - Jul 16-21 2001

Week of Climate actions in Bonn

This week, resistance spreads to Bonn, Germany, where the United Nations meets to resume climate negotiations. They aim to ratify the Kyoto protocol, a pledge to reduce CO2-emissions (the biggest global warming gas) by 5.2% by 2012. Agreement is unlikely, since Bush (funded by Esso) is determined to kill the Kyoto deal and, in any case, this pledge is meaningless, since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change say that CO2 reductions of at least 60%, and more like 90%, are necessary to prevent further planetary damage.

Climate change - freak weather incidents and supposedly 'natural' disasters - is primarily down to human activity: we increase levels of polluting greenhouse gases in our atmosphere by burning fossil fuels at crazy rates. The industrialised nations are responsible for 80% of global CO2-emissions, but developing countries are paying the price: the UN predicts that, within the next few decades, there may be 150 million 'environmental refugees' in the world.

Action in Bonn and in Britain is planned for the whole week, not just to protest, but also to inform and motivate the public on this vital issue. Action days, training camps, raft and Ark-building protests, bike rides, street parties and climate vigils are just some of the events planned. Check links below for action details and climate analysis.

- IMC-Climate (english)
- IMC-Germany
- Summit background, Corporate lobby
- Indepth analysis

Diary of dates in Bonn
15th July - Bike tour arrives, eco-market and speeches 13-19:00h
16th July - Conference Begins Critical Mass 12:00h
17th July - Workshop & Planning @ Training Camp. 9:00h
18th July - Workshop & Planning @ Training Camp. 9:00h
19th July - Reclaim The Streets 12:00h Beach Party
20th July - Buses/Trains Leave for Genoa - Festival
21st July - Friends Of the Earth Ark building
22nd July - End of G8 Summit in Genoa
23rd/26th July - Days of Direct Action
27th July - Conference Ends Final Day of Action