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ST ANDREWS: ‘5 arrested at anti-G20 roadblock’

Nae Tae G20 | 07.11.2009 00:47

Five Protesters Arrested Blocking Road to G20

ALEX BROWN
NAE TAE G20
E-mail:  naetaeg20@googlemail.com
Phone: 07827743149
Website:  http://naetaeg20.wordpress.com/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ST ANDREWS: ‘5 arrested at anti-G20 roadblock’

7/11/9: Five activists protesting the G20 finance ministers’ meeting blockaded a road tonight leading to the Fairmont Hotel in St Andrews. Nae Tae G20 legal support was contacted and volunteers were able to arrive and document the act of civil disobedience

The activists used locking arm tubes (lockboxes, lockon tubes) to form a circle in the middle of the road, blocking both lanes of traffic. The road is a three way fork where the A917 leading northwest to St Andrews and southeast to Boarhills/Krail meets the B9131 leading south to Anstruther.

The blockade lasted for over an hour and the last protester was cut from their arm tube at 20:08. Police presence kept the road blocked for another 16 minutes.

The protesters action created a full traffic stop in all three directions from 19:00 GMT until 20:24 GMT when traffic was finally allowed to pass. The queue of cars stretched far in all directions and within line towards St. Andrews included numerous cars, several coaches, and at least one hotel van heading towards the Fairmont Hotel.

While observing the blockade from the sidewalk, numerous Nae Tae G20 legal observes were verbally assualted and three were shoved by police, one being knocked to the ground. Following traffic resuming, while returning to St Andrews, the legal observers with Nae Tae G20 were stopped by police twice and forced to provide their names and other identifying information or be arrested. Police also individually filmed each legal observer and described them physically to the camera.

ENDS

Notes to editors:
Photographs available upon request and on our website. Members of the group would be happy to give interviews; to request one, please contact the number below.

ALEX BROWN
NAE TAE G20
E-mail:  naetaeg20@googlemail.com
Phone: 07827743149
Website:  http://naetaeg20.wordpress.com/

Nae Tae G20
- e-mail: naetaeg20@googlemail.com
- Homepage: http://naetaeg20.wordpress.com/

Comments

Hide the following 7 comments

Well done people!

07.11.2009 05:01

Well done for standing up to them. Good action.

I hope everyones okay after the police reaction. You'd of think cops would refrain from pushing people to the ground during a G20 protest wouldn't you! ACAB!

Edinburger

good work

07.11.2009 09:02

nice one. good to see that a lack of national support for you're anti G20ing hasn't stopped you getting out there.

me

TSG impunity

07.11.2009 12:04

Nothing is surprising about police behaviour when nothing is done about it, see the piece in today's Guardian:
 http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/nov/06/police-scotland-yard-riot-squad

Donnacha DeLong
mail e-mail: donnacha.delong@tiscali.co.uk
- Homepage: http://donnachadelong.wordpress.com

The theory and practice of CD actions

07.11.2009 16:32

There seems to be a bit of confusion/inexperienced involved on both sides. Perhaps the police are treating you rougher than absolutely necessary (you may lack expereinced/trained CD squads as exist in some places here where CD actions are common).

But you need to understand something. The police are partially on your side (in effect) and you DO want them to be the ones clearing you from the road. In the absence of the police it would be those motorists in the queues, who I assure you would have enough numbers to drag the mass of you clear and they wouldn't be in the least concerned how badly hurt you were in the process.

A CD action is intentionally illegal. If not, if you claim innocence, then wasn't a CD type action after all.

Need to understand a bit of the theory. In choosing CD the minority interest is in effect saying "While we recognize your right (the majority right) to make the laws and policies we are upping the ante. WE will not obey. You can have your law/policy if and only if willing to keep dragging us away as we obstruct." It's a kind of social negotiation.

Start with Thoreau's essay (from which the term "Civil Disobedience" comes) and then look at the early/mid 19th Century examples. Can be rather serious examples with major political consequences (such as the "Underground Railroad" which sprung up after Taney's Court ruled the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional and the Fugative Slave Act resulted). The key concept is refusal to obey the law of the majority and perhaps most fitting in societies which get things doen by a "negotiation" between majority and minority interests.

MDN

Correct

08.11.2009 11:23

QUOTE "But you need to understand something. The police are partially on your side (in effect) and you DO want them to be the ones clearing you from the road. In the absence of the police it would be those motorists in the queues, who I assure you would have enough numbers to drag the mass of you clear and they wouldn't be in the least concerned how badly hurt you were in the process."

This is absolutely spot on, as can be seen in this video from a similar action:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__CWuiuHSms

Despite the road being 'blocked' drivers still keep going. And that's WITH police there! Most cars on the road are driven by such poor drivers, folk so high on something, or so inattentive as they balance the steering wheel, their mobile, their iPod, chatting to a passenger and trying to get little Gemima in the back to keep quiet, they wouldn't notice people on the roads, anymore than they would a pigeon, an empty box or a black bin bag blowing in the breeze.

The folk that were there should be grateful the police were there, and they are able to wake up on Monday morning alive, and not dead or severely injured.

Absolutely

Coppers hat

08.11.2009 11:33

Just re-watching the video. One of the cars, even drives over a coppers hat (which could have been a protestors head). Shows you how careless and uncaring most polluting, driving scum are.

AC

bull

08.11.2009 17:16

One of the cars, even drives over a coppers hat (which could have been a protestors head). Shows you how careless and uncaring most polluting, driving scum are.

Dont be such a drama queen, they werent anywhere near the protestors
Anyway, i noticed the protestors were driving evil cars too

anim