Short stories from yesterday's G8 protests

Several short stories from yesterdays G8 protests in Sheffield.

Police lines on Arundel Gate yesterday

ZIMBABWE DANCERS
A group of talented dancers from Zimbabwe were invited to entertain the G8 ministers yesterday evening at the Winter Gardens. However once they realised who they were performing for they wrote special songs along the lines of words mean nothing, only actions count. They later got the chance to talk to some of the G8 bigwigs and explained how ineffective the G8 policies were in helping their country. Later they joined protesters down at the convergence centre for a while.

MPH BANNER IN NETHER EDGE
Several anti G8 banners in Nether Edge, the suburb where the G8 are staying, have been spotted. There is one banner saying Make Poverty History almost directly opposite the police road block to the Marriot hotel where the ministers are staying.

KIOSK INCIDENT
Around 20 Manchester police were surrounded by protesters and backed up against the wall of a news kiosk at yesterday evenings protests. This was in response to their arresting a 16 year old lad for some trivial offence.

STALKING POLICEMEN
After this another prostestor was arrested after a group of 6 policemen stalked several people leaving the area. They passed by a fight breaking out between some Asian taxi drivers and whites, ignored it, and finally arrested the protester when well away from the area. The alleged crime was that he spat at them.

POLICE WITHOUT NUMBERS
Several Police officers were spotted without their identifying numbers by legal observers. When questioned persistently the officers were removed from the Police lines by senior officers.

FEMALE COP HAD HAND BROKEN
According to the BBC... and the Scotsman

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/south_yorkshire/4097416.stm

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4697462

THE HERALD REPORT SEEMS FAIR

http://www.theherald.co.uk/politics/41324.html

TERRORISM IS THE MAIN TOPIC (or, in other words, war and repression)
"U.S. Attorney-General Alberto Gonzales, speaking after his arrival in Sheffield, said fighting terrorism would remain the top topic for the G8 ministers to address."

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L1524281.htm

Latest reports from the media...

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=Sheffield+G8&btnG=Search+News

Sheff IMCer

Comments

Hide the following 6 comments

Zimbabwe

16.06.2005 09:26

The dancers from Zimbabwe, what were they calling for as a solution to the problems in Zim ?

Peter

thanks

16.06.2005 09:44

Thanks, this is a great summary report, it'd be nice if more stuff on IMC-UK was written this well.

yoss

Nice report but....

16.06.2005 10:42

A nice written report so thanks for that but it shows how once again the Police are able to control and stop effective protest in the UK. For those going to Scotland have you considered that most of your time will be spent in a cold wet metal cage miles from the real event.

We need new thinking (and no I do not have the answers) otherwise protest in this country will never achieve anything again

Baloon

but2

16.06.2005 13:35

I think you are overestimating the police and underestimating the protestors. Life can be full of many surprises and so can events around the G8..... chin up!

Drew

overestimating police??? i dont think so!!!

18.06.2005 10:37

First of all...the gentleman who said we are overestimating the numbers of police were you even there??? if not shut up cause you have no idea what happened!!! they had police from all over scotland, newcastle, liverpool, manchester, london, south yorkshire etc etc...do you need me to say anything else?? this was a small demonstration which the police turned into a major issue and they are in a serious amount of trouble. My younger sister was cornered by police and was scared to death!! there were police every where and not only was it wholy unneccesary but completly out of order. the second thing is my friend (the blonde) was arrested after trying to find my sister, she was pushed to the floor and when a police officer tried to get her up, grabbed her t-shirt and nearly pulled it off her...she shouted at the officer about flashing her bra to everyone and was consequently arrested and charged and had to go to the magistrates court on friday morning to be officially charged and told when her court date is...this i believe is also out of order and something has to be done...how dare they make a peaceful protest into a riot...my guess is they got bored and wanted some fun...what they did was outrageous and they need to be told they cant get away with it. not only was their behaviour incredibly dangerous, there were young children in the crowd---do they want another hillsborough disaster/1984/85 miners strike on their hands? the lawyers have advised the people who were arrested not to take it and they will fight - they believe the police have done some thing massively wrong!! are we going to sit back and let them take our rights away???

lucy

the 17 year old arrested

21.06.2005 11:17

The 17 year old arrested was my son and we are not happy either! If anyone has any photos or video of him being arrested be great to have a look at them as possible evidence

Kerri