Together, these countries represent about 65% of the world economy which leads some critics to assume that they may be responsible for issues such as global warming, unfair global trade, the extreme poverty in Africa, the extent of the AIDS problem due to a strict medicine patent policy... Not to mention the various wars, including those on abstract nouns such as 'terror'.

Wherever and whenever the 'world leaders' meet, they are met with dissent. Some try hard to shut down the G8 Summit, others work on generating debate and discussion by holding counter-conferences. There's the independent media, trying their best to fight against the bias of the corporate press. There's the medics, patching people up. There's the 'bodies on the street'... The 'Movement of Movements' that believes 'Another world is possible' involves many skills, many tactics and a whole lot of people.

As expected the Russian state has met political dissent with violence and repression. Even before the summit started the number of violations against civil and human rights reached more than hundred.

Some activists have been threatened with the possibility of a crime investigation on the ground of new Russian “anti-extremists” laws, there's been restrictions of free movement and the freedom of the press is under constant attack, leading one Russian newspaper to produce an entirely blank edition early in the year.

An example of repression is the threatening of relatives of 'activists': The mother of the journalist Vlad Tupikin from Moscow. She was met by two policemen on the streets who entered her apartment. They put pressure on the old lady to tell them about her son’s plans at the summit. After she refused to cooperate with them, she was warned about the consequences of her behavior and future visits.

There's Vasilii Starostin, his son Jegor and another comrade from the Siberian Workers Union in Omsk, Elena Girde, who have been detained in Ekaterinburg, while their were traveling to St.Petersburg. After a long and heavy interrogation, where they have been threatened with a courts case on being involved in “extremist’s” activities, the police and FSB 'advised' them to travel back to Omsk.

Right now the police lines are building around the Social Forum in St.Petersburg, letting people in but not allowing them to leave. People have been beaten for banner drops in St.Petersburg Square.

Will our Prime Minsiter stand up to the Russian state, boycott the summit in protest to the violent police repression?

Yesterday two people were arrested at Russian Chamber of Commerce in Southwark, London. Yes, yet another banner drop against the G8, and yes, met with yet more violent repression.

Will Tony give Putin a slap round the chops? Will he fuck.

In solidarity.

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