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Wednesday 6th: G8 Blockades, Mass Arrests and Fence Breaches

imcista | 05.07.2005 13:57 | G8 2005 | Globalisation | Repression | Social Struggles | World

Movement against the G8 started very early this morning: while the beacons of dissent were still burning in the dark in the Ochil Hills, hundreds of people were making their way out of the Stirling convergence eco-camp 'Hori-Zone' to head for Gleneagles. Initial clashes with riot police forced many back, but other went on to occupy roads. In Edinburgh there was an attempt to blockade G8 delegates in the Sheraton Grand hotel and people obstructed delegate coaches as they passed through the streets. The M9 motorway was also blocked by a severl hundred people.

Throughout the morning multiple blockades were set up on the approach roads to Gleneagles, from people locking themselves together to the late afternoon Kids Tea Party blockade.

Despite some torrential rain and long traffic jams people continued to converge on Gleneagles throughout the afternoon. The police announced that the G8Alternatives march and rally by Gleneagles was cancelled but still people continued to stream towards the G8 Summit location. Coach loads of protestors were delayed for hours by police, but the majority were allowed through in the end.


Legal teams report "hundreds of arrests".

IMC Update 5.30pm - Protesters at Gleneagles have breached the fence which guards the hotel in which the G8 leaders are meeting from today. Parts of the fence were torn down. At the moment, a large number of police reinforcements are arriving and charging the protestors. Military helicopters are arriving. Earlier, 5000 people had moved on a cheerful and colourful demonstration from Auchterarder park to the fence close to Gleneagles Hotel. The G8 Alternatives march has included many locals and musical groups. Meanwhile a peaceful demonstration in Edinburgh was penned in by police. Police arrested people violently. Local people watching the police actions shouted "outrage" and "disgrace". In the morning, groups of protesters blocked the roads around Gleneagles as well as hotels in Edinburgh. Many G8 delegates had to delay their trip to Gleneagles.

[ Complete timelines: Stirling/Gleneagles Timeline | March on Gleneagles | Edinburgh Timeline | Glasgow Timeline ]


[ Edinburgh: report | photos 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 ] [ Stirling: report | photos ] [ Blockades: (various) 1 | 2 | 3 | photos 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 ]


Sterling Protestors Early
Sterling Protestors Early


The first signs of movement were in Stirling as between 600 and 1000 people started off from the rural convergence camp to march on Gleneagles, but many groups were met by riot police who forced some people into a nearby industrial estate. By 6am a junction of the M9 was blocked by a couple of hundred people from the camp, while police closed roads to the site.
In Edinburgh, by 7am, the Sheraton Grand Hotel was already surrounded by vanloads of police and FIT teams with a Section 60 in place to protect it from around 100 protestors. Within the hour a coach carrying Japanese G8 delegates trying to leave the hotel was blocked by protestors and around the corner cars were left parked across Queensferry Road causing a jam while a coachful of G8 press were also blocked.
Trains from Edinburgh to Stirling were cancelled, a convoy of G8 Alternative coaches due to leave Edinburgh for Gleneagles was held back by police, vehicles were stopped and searched crossing the Forth Road Bridge, some roads and bridges to Gleneagles were blockaded, and a Section 60 order is slapped on Gleneagles station.
Later in the morning police attempted to stop people, including a travelling kids tea party, from leaving the Stirling eco camp. The police were also telling people the permitted march was cancelled, stopping coaches outside Auchterada, Stirling, and Perth, but organisers assured it was still on. By around midday there were numerous sit-downs and lock-ons blockading B-roads, A-roads and the M9 motorway outside of Gleneagles .

imcista

Comments

Display the following 66 comments

  1. Updates in French — djrom
  2. burning cars? — Glass eye
  3. reply to not content from stirling — dave g
  4. Queensferry road — WT
  5. Report From the Other Side of the Plant — davey from Australia
  6. Amais Channer — Saltire
  7. x — x
  8. G12 is the real problem — Glesgae will provide.. Professor Mahatma MacBain
  9. PROTEST — JCP
  10. Some thoughts... — in stirling
  11. JCP - Portugese & confused? — Jimmy Mc
  12. All Apologies — Gordon Brown
  13. gh8 — alfie
  14. Piss Off JCP — John
  15. You've got to hand it to them... — Scotsman
  16. blah blah blah — blah blah blah
  17. Ah poor Mr X — Alex
  18. burger king justice — AJ
  19. Yeah Go Alfie, IRA justice hey! — Gordon Brown
  20. x — x
  21. Not Innocent - Guilty — The Chef
  22. welcome bolivian-style road blockades — international friend
  23. A Step too Far — Donna
  24. A Step too Far — Donna
  25. Dear Mr X — Alex
  26. Blair & Bob — kk
  27. x — x
  28. Dear Donna — Alex
  29. pete I don't believe you — Mike
  30. is the pen mightier than the sword??? — Big'N
  31. Well, Well... Ms X, such an uncommon surname these days. — Alex
  32. Breaking through mental fences — international friend
  33. Anti Capitalist Demos in Stirling etc — Aillie
  34. make the rich history — Jon Doe
  35. A Step too Far - Alex — Donna
  36. fighting their improv ideology — noeh
  37. Donna, Donna, Donna.... — Pascal
  38. Donna, donna, donna, donna, Donna, donna, donna, day. — Gordon Brown
  39. Dear Donna, — noeh
  40. Brainwashed Capitalists — BillyBob
  41. Comments — scotsman
  42. A Step too Far — Donna
  43. PASCAL, PASCAL, PASCAL !!!! — Jim McMichael
  44. not true — bakunin
  45. Tesco, Morrisons etc all the same — Pascal
  46. What Right — Angus Macleod
  47. Not true bakunin? — Stirling Resident
  48. Not True — Donna
  49. bakunin — x
  50. Donna, are my RNA and Prions as much of a waste as my DNA? — Alex
  51. Ad Nausem — Butterfly McCrea
  52. Alex, or shall I say Rob? — Donna
  53. Donna, I'm corroding just for you — Alex
  54. Well thanks — keith
  55. Alex — Clandestine Anti Clown Association
  56. Method One? London explosions. — Alex
  57. Police seaport blocking — Recreation man
  58. Listen silly — Alex
  59. Blocked Seaport — Recreation Man
  60. Unity ! — Jean Vide
  61. Dear Jean. — Alex
  62. Alex — Recreation man
  63. TROLLS AND MOLES LMAO — .....HOME OFFICE MOLE
  64. Recreation? — Alex
  65. Yesterday — J
  66. Medical info does not support story of girl — update