This evening, grassroots activists gained entry to the official ESF and denounced the organising process from the stage of the main plenary. During a later meeting of the Assembly of Social Movements Redmond O'Neil (of the GLA) condemned the intervention, saying that the activists, who had 'outed' the problems with democracy and communication in the ESF, had attacked people and stolen mobile phones and wallets!
While its true that the table on the stage was knocked over, and someone did drop their wallet and mobile, when this was mentioned and people tried to locate the items, activists on the platform assisted in looking for them.
Many people made interventions, from a statement from Babels (the volunteer network of interpreters) to an Indymedia Volunteer, and even one of the low paid cleaning staff at Alexandra Palace during the half hour open microphone session.
The responses of the delegates waiting for the other plenary was mixed. But many were positive, particularly their reactions when they realised the stage intervention was only for half an hour and that the plenery was going to continue.
The hundreds of activists then left the plenary space to allow the planned event on fighting facism and and racism in europe to go ahead (without Ken Livingstone Mayor of London... it seems he had in fact pulled out of the panel earlier in the afternoon after news of the planned intervention filtered through).
After the hundreds of activists left Alexandra Palace, they took to the streets marching down the hill taking up the road. Soon they were met by a line of police who tried to push them out of the road and onto the pavement. In the scuffle the police hit several people and arrested at least one person.
The Assembly of Social Movements later decided to send a delegation to the police to complain about the police over reaction on the slopes of Alexandra Palace - next to the ESF.
Many people made interventions, from a statement from Babels (the volunteer network of interpreters) to an Indymedia Volunteer, and even one of the low paid cleaning staff at Alexandra Palace during the half hour open microphone session.
The responses of the delegates waiting for the other plenary was mixed. But many were positive, particularly their reactions when they realised the stage intervention was only for half an hour and that the plenery was going to continue.
The hundreds of activists then left the plenary space to allow the planned event on fighting facism and and racism in europe to go ahead (without Ken Livingstone Mayor of London... it seems he had in fact pulled out of the panel earlier in the afternoon after news of the planned intervention filtered through).
After the hundreds of activists left Alexandra Palace, they took to the streets marching down the hill taking up the road. Soon they were met by a line of police who tried to push them out of the road and onto the pavement. In the scuffle the police hit several people and arrested at least one person.
The Assembly of Social Movements later decided to send a delegation to the police to complain about the police over reaction on the slopes of Alexandra Palace - next to the ESF.
Comments
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ESF spin doctors went into overdrive- loads of lies
17.10.2004 02:28
He then appealled for people to volunteer to be stewarts on the Sunday march to help protect it from people like that attacking the march. Not many people volunteered. Then Kate Hudson was invited up to make the same appeal. A few more lost souls joined up. The asembly point for want-a-be stewards is 11.30am Russell Sq to be briefed and given your badge.
Remember- do not ask what the the ESF can do for you
Ask yourself- What can you can do for the ESF
police liasion- another level of repression is possible
yanik
Greek angle
17.10.2004 10:52
At the same time some of the comments from the Greek Socialist Worker party members were truly terrible. I heard two young members saying in Greek 'I just want to go up on stage and beat them up', while another said 'what is this? now every idiot will take the stage and tell us their opinion?'. This is quite indicative of their contempt for the people they think they are going to run a revolution for, and in sharp contrast with a lot of Beyond ESF events. For example the assemply of the precarious, was an open mic session with representatives from small groups around europe, and individuals, talking about their experiences and discussing future actions.
m
Fair Play
17.10.2004 12:26
- From British Colombia
Joe Hill