UK G8 2005 Feature Archive
Scotland after the G8
23-01-2006 01:58
Activism in Scotland experienced a boost in the months following the G8.
Two social centres – Saorsa (gaelic for “freedom”) and Chalkboard opened in Glasgow, and the Indymedia Scotland Infoseed Hacklab in Edinburgh.
The legal support group observe the court cases relating to the G8 [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 ] and provides support for the defendants.
The Campaign to Save the Cameo was successful and the privatisation of council housing could be prevented [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 ].
The Glasgow based initiative Make Borders History continued after the G8 in Glasgow as Open Borders Glasgow with direct actions to prevent deportations and morning raids [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 ].
The Zapatista Solidarity groups raise publicity and prepare enthusiastically for their big solidarity party on the 16th of february for their twinned community in Chiapas [ Edinburgh Chiapas Solidarity Group | 1 | 2 | 3 ].
In an effort to Stop Climate Change and prevent further roadbuilding for individual transport, JAM74 and Friends of the Earth Scotland stopped the building of the M74 Extension, south of Glasgow, which would also be leading through the Cre8 Community Garden, with a legal challenge.
The main action momentarily is the resistance against building the Dalkeith Bypass through a big park acting as a wildlife resort, recreational facility, part of Edinburgh's Green Belt and fields for animals. The campaign includes an unlikely liason of a citizen campaign “Save Dalkeith Park”, ecowarriers occupying the trees, and resistance in the Scottish Parliament and beyond. Last Monday, however, a specialist team started evicting the four protest camps. Despite three protesters slowing down the eviction by nearly a week with refusing to give up their hiding place in a tunnel, the eviction of the last and main protest site is anticipated to start today. [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 ]
A boost for video activism
20-01-2006 06:21
In London during January there was a video activism gathering consisting of skill sharing workshops, presentations, discussions such as the role of cameras on demos (how video can be used to get protesters both nicked and set free), along with feedback from the G8 video indymedia experience. Modeled on similar national gatherings in previous years, this one was organised by and took place at the rampART social centre.
The event ended with a public screening with films from Real2Reel, Revolt Video, Camcorder Gorillas and many others. There was also a premiere of Cine Rebeldes 'Latitude 36' and two films made during the gathering 'Justice For Dad' & 'The Demo Demo'.
Related links:
- Lights, Camera, Direct Action - a PDF DIY guide
- Call for regular activist shorts
- IMC-UK Video Projects Page (out of date)
G8 Info
21-07-2005 16:19
Background info : Why Are People Protesting? [more] | Groups and Websites | Protests and EventsRead latest G8 coverage : Indymedia Scotland and IMC UK G8 topic pages [ RSS feeds: Newswire | Features ]
Video : Collected G8 Video Coverage - list of links | Upload your videos
Radio : See G8 Radical Radio Collective website or Global Radio Indymedia Newswire for streams or archive material.
Photo: IMC Photo Library and Search website
- G8 Legal Support + Advice | Legal Support Statement
- G8 Medical Support
- Activist Trauma Support
- Submit your G8 story
- G8 debriefs: London, Oxford, Brighton, Bristol, Manchester
G8 2005, Gleneagles: Repression, Resistance and Clowns
14-07-2005 23:00
All over Scotland, (dis)organisations as varied as the grassroots network dissent! and the largely conservative coalition "make poverty history" protested against the 2005 G8 summit in Gleneagles. The reasons were as varied as the forms to express disagreement, from marching to blockading, from clowning to filming, from talking to direct action. Although police from all over the UK were busy containing protesters in pens, arresting, searching and holding them under section 60 [Legal Support Group statement], discontent with the G8 agenda was voiced in many significant places and eventually supported by international solidarity.
Read the Full Article for summaries on issues, actions, timelines, repression and resistance in Scotland from Saturday 2 July to Friday 8 July. And check G8 Info for quick links and resources.
[ G8 video coverage | G8 Audio | G8 Photo Archive ]
[ IMC Scotland | IMC UK G8 topic pages | Worldwide IMC Reports + 2 ]
[ Red Pepper Blog | Live 8: Corporate Media Bonanza ]
[ Legal Support | Medical Support | Activist Trauma Support: +44-796 240 6940 | Missing Persons/Prison support: +44-131-208 0767 ]
Critical Mass in Southampton
12-07-2005 17:06
YMCA withdraws from Ayslum Slavery Scheme
10-07-2005 17:05
This weeks protests against the G8 involved the make borders history walking tour of the border regime and it's asylum profiteers in Glasgow. [ pics 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 ][ video ].
One of the sites of interest to the border tour-ists in Glasgow was the YMCA because of it's partnership with the IOM (International Organisation of Migration) and its proposed involvement in the Home Office's forced labour scheme for some asylum seekers.
Back in May in a two pronged approach, voluntary sector workers, trade unionists, council workers, refugees and human rights protesters directly protested in Liverpool and Birmingham at Government plans to pilot a forced slave labour scheme for asylum seekers with the help of the voluntary sector's YMCA. As a result the YMCA has since withdrawn from the scheme, but other voluntary sector organisations have expressed an interest in running the scheme and the struggle against immigration slave labour continues.
No One is Illegal letter | Birmingham protests | Liverpool protests | Make Borders HistoryG8 - Day 3 Update
08-07-2005 12:21
To celebrate the end of the G8 summit and to highlight opposition to the extension of the M74 there has been a street party called in Glasgow. [Detailed timeline | Photos 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9] [Videos]
With hundreds of arrests, many still in prison, and bail conditions telling people to leave within near impossible speeds, there were some prisoner solidarity protests today. A demonstration outside Saughton prison in Edinburgh this afternoon was restriced by police using section-14. [Detailed timeline] [Unprecedented police harrassment against Wombles]
Section 14 was also in place in Edinburgh, to hinder a group of people at Waverly train station from protesting against the ongoing 'war on terror'. The police said they would only be allowed to hand out leaflets for half an hour. Some were stopped, filmed and searched [Report and Photos] In an earlier action, two climate ativists climbed onto the bridge that traverses Leith Street, connecting the St James Mall to the car park in Central Edinburgh, and hunged a banner that read "Coming soon, millions of ecological refugees, to a city near you"[Report | Photos]
In the eco-village in Stirling [Report], the situation is calm, but the police are still checking people going in and out. 3 arrests were made, apparently based on information from the Forward Intellegence Teams (FIT). The local police confirmed that (despite rumours) no private homes had their windows smashed and that the report of children being injured was false.
Anti-G8 actions have been taking place all over the world. [List of links]
[ Glasgow Timeline | Edinburgh & Prisoner Solidarity Timeline | Stirling Eco-village timeline ]
Glasgow street party photosEco-village photos: 1 | 2 | 3
G8 Day 2: Thursday 7th
07-07-2005 04:51
After a long day on the streets [Personal Accounts: 1 | 2] the people that slept at the eco-village awoke to being surrounded by police on the second day on the G8 meetings at Gleneagles. The police stated they had no intention of invading the eco-village, but were concerned about "more disruptions". People were barely allowed to leave the camp all day, with police only letting small groups out at a time if they provided personal information. The police used Section 60 as justification, effectively halting movement from the eco-village. By five pm all actions from the camp had been cancelled and there was consensus to not resist the blockade today, although at times tension rose high as people demonstrated in front of the police lines. However, the anarchists did challenge the police to a football match and claimed victory when the police did not play.[Pics of Eco-Village 1 | 2 | 3]
Meanwhile in Edinburgh, prisoner support actions took place in the early afternoon at Saughton prison near Haymarket station accompanied by Seattle's Infernal Noise Brigade. There was also a spontaneous prisoner support rally in front of the Sheriff Court where at least two people were arrested [pics]. More solidarity actions are planned for tomorrow Friday 8th July. [Prisoner Support Statement | Wombles targeted in Glasgow police operation]
In Glasgow, six people locked down to Weir Pumps, one of the first companies in the UK to win contracts in Iraq. On the other hand, and following explosions in the London tube today, bomb threats were also made and responded to in Edinburgh.
Full Timelines of Events:
Ecovillage timeline | Edinburgh timeline | Glasgow timeline
G8 Day1: G8 Blockades, Mass Arrests and Fence Breaches
06-07-2005 22:00
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 several 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. All this activity resulted in many G8 delegates having to delay their trip to Gleneagles. Later in the afternoon, and despite sporadic torrential rain and long traffic jams, people continued to converge aound Gleneagles Hotel. Just before midday, the police announced that the G8Alternatives march and rally at the town of Auchterader had been cancelled, but despite this announcemnt thousands of people continued to stream towards the G8 Summit location. Coach loads of protestors were also delayed for hours by police roadblocks, but the majority were allowed through in the end.
Meanwhile a spontaneous demonstration was taking place in Edinburgh. This was mainly made up of some 700 people whose buses had been prevented from reaching Auchterader. The demonstration started in Princes Street and was quickly penned in by police, with some people arrested violently. Local people watching the police actions shouted "outrage" and "disgrace".
In Auchterader at around 1pm, up to 10,000 people started to move towads the perimeter of the fence. The demonstration included many national and international groups and networks, as well as a large battalion of the clowns, Seattle’s Infernal Noise Brigade and an International Samba Band. This mixture of people, groups and nationalities gave a cheerful and colourful athmosphere to the demonstration.
When the march reached a fence blocking the road to Gleneagles Hotel many people paused bringing the entire march to a standstill. Later a determined group of people dismantled the fence in front of police lines, whilst another group of about 700 people moved into a nearby field towards another fence that actually formed the enclosure of the Glenegales Hotel. This was also partialy dimantled by this crowd, and a watch tower attacked. At this point police presence was masive, with hundreds of riot police, police on horses, police with dogs, and even military helicopters that kept dramaticaly flying in more riot police. The crowd maintained their ground for over an hour resisting police charges, whilst a group of about 100 people staged a sit down protest in front of the gap caused by the earlier breach of the fence. Eventually a big police charge managed to push people back down the hill and out of the fields. While Auchterarder itself was full of protestors, many local residents were friendly and there were no clashes or property destruction.
The Legal Support Team reported "hundreds of arrests" throughout the days actions and blockades, whilst a later update spoke of "over 400 arrests" confirmed, several of which are the result of London's FIT teams.
[Complete Timeline Reports: Stirling/Gleneagles Timeline | March on Gleneagles | Edinburgh Timeline | Glasgow Timeline]
Edinburgh Reports: 1 | 2 | 3] [Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5] [Video]
Stirling: Report | 2
Blockades: Reports (various): 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 + 10a | 11 | 12 | 13
Blockades Photos (various): 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15
Blockades Videos (various): 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
Autcherarder/Gleneagles: [Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8] [Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 14 | 15 | 16] [Audio: 1] [Videos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5]
International Solidarity: Collected Reports | Bern, Hannover, Heidelberg, Lugano | Kansas City | Sidney [pic] | San Francisco | Barcelona
G8 Reports: Tuesday 5th July
05-07-2005 13:47
This morning a banner was hung from a tall crane near Edinburgh central train station saying "No More Brown Wash" [full report]. The campaigning group WDM have been critical of both Make Poverty History and the Governments G8 spin [audio: mp3 from crane].
Later in the morning an Anti-Shell demonstration took place outside the Irish Consulate, with people protesting against Shell's plans to turn an area of outstanding natural beauty into an onshore oil refinery. The protest them moved by the streets with yet another over the top police escort [see report | pics]
Meanwhile a small prisonners solidarity demonstration took place outside the Court. On the other hand, police FIT teams have been active in central Edinburgh all day stopping and searching people at random.
Update 20:00: The Legal Support team informs that the Section 60 has now been imposed at the Hori-Zone rural ecovillage. Reports of police helicopters activity in the camp. On a more positive note, an IMC access point is now opperating inside the camp. Also the new Trespass Law has been brought into a effect around Gleneagles suspending open access in the area around the hotel.
Dungavel Protests
Around 1000 people are demonstrating at a rally at Dungavel Detention Centre. Earlier some of the coaches were searched by police who took people's names and addresses - some demonstrators were also temporarily surrounded by police. All is calm, but marches are not allowed around the detention centre and there are thousands of police there. Instead the protestors are listening to some moving and powerful speeches from ex-detainees from the centre. The detainees however have been moved out of Dungavel for the period of the G8. [Photos 1 | 2 | 3]
[see Dungavel Detainee Interview (audio mp3) | Borders at the G8 Feature | IMC Migration Section Amnesty Report on Detention Centres (june)]
Timeline of Events | Legal Update
Unconfirmed reports have also come in of people arriving back in London being questioned under anti-terrorism legislation and filmed.
Carnival of Full Enjoyment, Edinburgh
04-07-2005 11:17
The Carnival for Full Enjoyment travelled around the streets of Edinburgh on Monday 4th, involving a cast of G8 Summit protesters, clowns, police and local people. The Carnival called upon 'workers, migrants, students, benefit claimers, New Dealers, work refusers, pensioners, dreamers, duckers & divers' to resist the 'daily grind of the institutions that plunge us into overwork, poverty and debt.'
The day started with police and groups of protestors playing cat and mouse through the streets, as police quickly started to stop and search people under the Section 60 imposed all over Edinburgh. At 12pm groups of people began to gather in and around Princes St. From that time on, and throughout the day, police tried to heavily repress any demonstration using scores of riot police, horses, dogs, and endless batton charges whilst attempting to pen in groups of people. As a result several clashes occurred in the Princes St and Canning St areas that resulted in more than 100 people arrested, including teams of street medics that were spcificaly targeted for harassment and arrest. Around 60 protesters were also treated for injuries caused by the heavy handed policing. Despite this many streets in central Edinburgh were taken over by protestors throughout the afternoon.
Click here for a full appraisal of the day and here for the Timeline of Events Account of the Day.
Newswire Reports: Medics interview and reports 1 | 2 :: Police [ 1 | 2 | 3 ] :: Princes Street [ 1 | 2 ] :: Carnival for full policing :: Debunking the Myths :: Day report on IMC Scotland
Reports and Pictures: Princes Street [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 ] :: Financial District 1 | 2 | 3 ] :: Clowns [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 ] :: Bristo Place [ 1 | 2 ] :: Soundsystem Seized :: IMC IE on the day
Video: Clowns | Police | Local retaliation 1 and 2 | Arrest outside IMC centre
Other Indymedia reporting: IMC-Nantes | IMC-Germany | IMC-Holland | IMC-Switzerland(It)