On Monday, June 27th, Indymedia Bristol's server was seized by the police. An Indymedia volunteer was arrested during the raid on suspicion of incitement to criminal damage. He is now on bail. See Indymedia Bristol Statement (28th June 05):
"We are outraged at the actions of the police. They have completely disabled the entire Bristol Indymedia news service. By their actions they have undermined the principle of open publishing and free access to the media, thereby removing people's opportunity to read and report their own news. This situation has serious implications for anyone providing a news service on the Internet. We do not intend to let this stop us from continuing the project."
IMC Bristol statements [1 | 2] | Imc Bristol Solidarity Page | Full Feature | donate to imc uk | Autistici Server Surveillance | Mainstream Media Coverage
Read more >>Indymedia, together with other grass roots and alternative media groups are preparing for the G8 2005 Summit in Scotland in July. Several physical IMC centres are being planned to facilitate DIY reporting of the events around the G8.
Want to get involved? Have equipment you can lend or donate? Get in touch and find out more on the info page for the G8 Independent Media Convergence event. The convergence was held at the Institute for Autonomy social centre in London 14-15th May.
Money is also needed to help secure venues, vehicles for mobile media facilities and equipment - please consider donating money to Indymedia.
[ Convergence Call and Registration | Convergence Video Invite ]
To celebrate 10 years of critical mass, over 800 cyclists took to the streets in London last year with a bike samba band, live guitar from a rickshaw, multiple sound systems, mad bikes the like of which have to be seen to be believed. It was massive, and it happened again on Friday April 29. At least 500 cyclists, rollerbladers and skateboards joined the 11th Annivesary in London [photos 1, 2, 3, report]. There will also critical masses in Glasgow, Liverpool and Nottingham [photos] - and probably other cities around the country as well.
On Saturday 30th April there was a successful mass "against climate change, pollution and the G8" in Worthing, Sussex. Meanwhile, in Sheffield on June 11th and the 15th there are more rides to coincide with an anti-war demo and the G8 meeting of Justice and Interior Ministers in Sheffield taking place 15th/17th.
Read more >>Derby G8 Protests Go Ahead Amidst Massive Policing Operation
March 17th: Despite extraordinary measures approved by the Home Secretary to Ban all Marches in Derby [see pics of orders] and set up exclusion zones, the Derby G8 protests went ahead. A Critical Mass bicycle protest took place in the morning with around 40 people taking part - police arrested 12 cyclists [see pics], who were released on bail that night, however their bicycles have been kept 'as evidence'. Later amidst a militarised Derby with riot police [pics] stationed across the city, and several police surveillance units filming protestors, around 100 people gathered in the Town Square to protest against the G8.
See: Breaking News Reports from Derby M17 Protests
Pics: Bush + Blair Pied + General Photos
Pics: G8: Derby M17 Picture Collection
Pics: Derby Photo Report PtII
Friends of the Earth Interview at Derby M17
In the run up to the this summer's July G8 Summit in Gleneagles (Scotland), ministers from the eight more powerul economies have been holding 'mini-summits' around the country.
14-15th March: Coinciding with the International Energy and Environment Ministers' Roundtable meeting in London (see DEFRA link) a Climate Change Noise Protest was held on Tuesday 15th. Amidst heavy police security there were two arrests - including one person who was filming and whose film was seized. See Reports 1 | 2 | 3 and Pictures.
11th March: While the Employment Ministers of the G8 nations were meeting in London, activists staged a protest outside the Department of Trade and Industry and other locations [see report and pics 1 | 2 | 3]. Also see www.nodeal.org.uk for background and press release.
On Monday an Alternative Summit for Climate Justice called Moving Beyond the Greenwash was also held in London.
Other planned G8 Ministerial meetings include the G8 Finance Ministers in London (June 10-11th), the G8 Justice & Interior Ministers in Sheffield (June 16-17th), and the G8 Pre-Summit Foreign Ministers meeting in London (23rd June). For more protests and events follow the 'read more' link...
On the 14th November outside the recording studios in Hampstead where "Do They Know It's Christmas" - Band AID 20 (named after the 20-year anniversary of the original) was being re-recorded, demonstrations took place by protesters arguing that Band Aid is little more than a screen "whitewashing the real issues behind world poverty". Shouts of 'real aid, not band aid', 'don't whitewash Africa' and boo's were audiable over the screams of fans and onlookers. One protester was arrested for handing out leaflets explaining the reasons for the protest - [read full report].
Protesters from the Dissent! Network, organising against the G8 Summit, argue that the song is obnoxious, patronising and out of date with the real situation in Africa
"This isn't about creating a record to support people in Africa- this is a kodak moment for Bono, Midge Ure and for Blair to manipulate public opinion and push through a destructive economic agenda to serve Western economic interests."
As Britain gears up for the G8 summit next July, Blair's government together with Bono and Geldof are doing everything they can to convince the public into believing that real action is being taken on issues such as Climate change and poverty in Africa.
The original Band AID single produced in 1984 raised £9.5 million. The 2003 G8 summit in Evian cost £400 million. The security budget for the 2005 summit in Scotland is set at £150 million. The war in Iraq has so far cost the UK taxpayer £80 billion pounds and rising. The continuing loss of life due to poverty and war is unquantifyable.
International development campaigners - the World Development Movement (WDM) - also condemned the lyrics as promoting a "negative and inaccurate picture of Africa and its problems." The organisation, which has been campaigning on issues effecting Africa for over 30 years and was one of the founders of both the fair trade movement and Jubilee 2000, drew attention to several lines in the song which it described as "patronising, false and out of date".
Director of WDM, Mark Curtis said on Tuesday 14th: "The song perpetuates the myth that Africa’s problems can somehow be blamed on lack of rainfall and failed harvests. It conjures up an image of a continent inhabited entirely by starving children with flies on their faces sitting in the sunbaked bed of a dried up stream."
"African poverty is not an unfortunate accident of geography and climate. It is largely the result of damaging policies such as free trade forced on Africa by rich countries."
Several initiatives are now underway to re-write the lyrics - upload your own, or send lyrics or recorded audio files to doyouknowitscapitalism@yahoo.co.uk
Following months of speculation over the location of the 2005 G8 Summit in the UK, and reports that all police leave in Edinburgh and Scotland will be cancelled next summer, the Gleneagles hotel [official website] in Perthshire, Scotland has finaly been confirmed as the venue (G8 dates: 6th-8th July 2005).
The last time the G8 met in the UK was in Birmingham in May 1998. Then up to 70,000 people encircled the centre of Birmingham, forming a human chain and demanding an end to third world debt [pics]. On the same day up to 7,000 people took control of the centre of Birmingham for the second Global Reclaim the Streets Party [pics 1 | 2 | 3][video] - with actions and protests happening against the G8 in around 40 cities across the world, with over 400 social movements taking co-ordinated action under the banner of Peoples' Global Action (PGA).
Six years and many huge mobilisations later, people in the UK have been organising around the G8 for several months. A growing new network of local groups has been created called the Dissent! Network, with nodes across the country. Dissent! is planning a series of awareness raising events through the year and has been calling for both local and international participation. Many people and groups are now focussing on planning protests and direct action campaigns against the G8.
Recently many NGO organisations are also co-ordinating on a level unseen since the Jubliee 2000 drop the debt campaigns, and are set to try and take advantage of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown's aim to pitch the UK presidency of the G8 as a positive step towards reducing third world debt and around issues of development and trade [see guardian article] - 2005 is also the 20th anniversary of the Live Aid concert. Several groups are expected to use the European Social Forum in London in October later this year as a platform from which to launch campaigns. Recently several Trade Union leaders, politicians and Globalise Resistance have also issued their first call for protests.
See also:
Recent UK Savannah G8 Solidarity Actions
The People's Golfing Association (PGA) [statement][pics]
"Anarchist Group's Gleneagles Website Exclusive!"*
Corporate Media Coverage of Gleneagles G8
For more on G8 - see the Indymedia G8 Reports Section
London G8 2005 Feature Archive >>
NUJ drops support for Indymedia?
24-03-2006 17:22
| 2 additions
G8 Book Out Now!
23-02-2006 12:22
G8 Genoa Diaz Trial: British Testimonies and a Personal Report
02-02-2006 18:19
Personal report of Genoa 2001 G8 trials starting in Italia recently
30-01-2006 23:48
The Day the Music Failed
04-01-2006 19:20
G8 2006 in St. Petersburg, Russia - call to protest
12-12-2005 23:41
Two Edinburgh G8 court cases collapse
29-11-2005 14:57
| 1 addition
“DROP THE G8 CHARGES” DEMANDS DEFENDANTS SOLIDARITY GROUP
03-11-2005 17:09
G8 trials at the Sheriff Court in Edinburgh
24-10-2005 22:02
Indymedia cinema this Thursday
24-10-2005 14:59
It's a Fair Cop: Inspector's Honesty Scunners G8 Case in Glasgow
20-10-2005 18:59
G8 Eposed - Indymedia Film Night - Tonight
17-10-2005 11:08
Make Poverty History?
03-10-2005 16:36
Here we go again - G8 Finance Ministers to meet in London on December 10th
26-09-2005 18:49
Punk and Soundsystems to support G8 protesters
02-09-2005 19:00
Forum for those arrested at the G8
03-08-2005 22:01
G8 Debrief cancelled to support the Mass Act of Defiance in Parliament Square
02-08-2005 10:54
g8 bikeride video
22-07-2005 12:42
Post G8 Debrief and random funny film night
20-07-2005 22:22
The originator of the acts of terrorism in London was standing near Tony Blair
19-07-2005 21:04
Ambassadors express sympathy to all those affected by the blasts in London
14-07-2005 12:31
Legal Support Group Statement on the Policing of the G8 Protests
13-07-2005 11:36
Interview on Terror Drills still on BBC 5 drive til Thursday
13-07-2005 08:50
Cynicism and the G8 Deal
12-07-2005 20:59
Africa's battle with corruption
12-07-2005 20:54
Glimpsing a better world at the G8 protests
12-07-2005 17:03
London post G8 debrief
12-07-2005 11:45
monbiot on climate change
12-07-2005 10:29
G8 Alternatives summit Edinburgh Sunday 3rd July 2005
10-07-2005 15:25
question from an american
10-07-2005 05:10
G8Bikeriders return to London, Offer Cycling Lessons to George W. Bush.
10-07-2005 00:34
Report of Gleneagles march and rally on Wednesday July 6th 2005
09-07-2005 23:39
A G8 protestor reacts to London attacks
09-07-2005 20:34
Resist train returns safely to Kings Cross
09-07-2005 19:03
G8 debriefs
09-07-2005 11:57
Bush resigns!
09-07-2005 11:40
As Bono and Geldof praise G8, NGOs say G8 deal is a "betrayal"
09-07-2005 06:00
London terror bombings: a political crime
09-07-2005 00:11
Unprecedented police harrassment operation against Wombles
08-07-2005 21:16
False Alarm or Hoax? Suspect Package Outside Edinburgh IMC
08-07-2005 16:38
African Activists: Make Poverty History is being co-opted
08-07-2005 12:37
A Timely Reminder...Duplicity Reigns!
08-07-2005 11:23
The London Bombings: Time for Blair to Wake Up or Resign
08-07-2005 10:23
quaker blockade near A9 and A91
08-07-2005 00:46
Edinburgh Vigil
08-07-2005 00:26
Stattfor prime suspect in London Bombing
07-07-2005 23:35
For the people that died today.
07-07-2005 23:26
Wombles targeted in Glasgow police operation
07-07-2005 23:22
Photos from the G8 summit in gleneagles
07-07-2005 21:42
Alston points finger at 'anarchists'
07-07-2005 21:06
London bombing to the eyes of the third world
07-07-2005 20:38
Pictures of the Make Poverty History Demo in Edinburgh, July 4th, 2005
07-07-2005 18:53
Letter from an American friend.
07-07-2005 18:32
video of wednesday edinburgh demo
07-07-2005 18:29
| 1 addition
kids block on A9
07-07-2005 18:02
Action at Gleneagles
07-07-2005 17:47
GW8 Audio: Global Warming 8 Counter Conference Recordings
07-07-2005 17:16
london solidarity in scotland
07-07-2005 16:20
TEXT OF ISLAMIC COMMUNITY'S REMARKS
07-07-2005 16:09
Get a clue -- terrorists don't throw rocks, London bombings and the G8
07-07-2005 15:37
LONDON TODAY? What about Iraq for 2-1/2 Years?
07-07-2005 15:16
London g8 action
06-07-2005 19:36
G8: prisoner solidarity
06-07-2005 17:00
London Action
06-07-2005 12:12
Report of `Carnival for full enjoyment` on Monday 4th July. 12 photos attached.
05-07-2005 23:02
movement of the imagination at the G8
05-07-2005 17:39
My day at Live8
05-07-2005 17:37
Institute of Autonomy Evicted
05-07-2005 14:23
Be advised
05-07-2005 13:37
G8.. G8 .. G8 .. G8 ..If the ship sinks it sinks for us all - Feeding the beast
05-07-2005 12:23
Live 8 – the concerts
04-07-2005 15:36
Report of `Make Poverty History` march in Edinburgh with 12 photos
04-07-2005 09:57
Plym against G8 (poster)
04-07-2005 00:39
Make Poverty History July 2nd Demo - An Eyewitness Report
04-07-2005 00:16
SCUM8TEK 2nd July - A million sound systems and no bob!
03-07-2005 22:45
Make Apartheid History - Free Palestine event at G8
03-07-2005 15:52
The Clown Army and its Entourage Extravaganza
03-07-2005 12:46
LIVE 8, G-8 AND MOVEMENT WEIGHT
03-07-2005 10:37
first photos of the make poverty history demo in edinburgh
02-07-2005 11:59
G8 Train Kings Cross (video + audio interviews)
01-07-2005 20:57
Pictures From Insitute Detainments
01-07-2005 15:23
more about understanding climate issues
01-07-2005 15:04
Resist G8 Train Update
01-07-2005 14:55
The Rural Covergence / Eco-Village Opens Its Gates
01-07-2005 11:46
Chalk4Peace will be active at The G8 Gathering in Scotland
01-07-2005 11:20
Indymedia Centre in Edinburgh Now Open - Meetings + IMC Reporting Numbers
01-07-2005 09:42
G8- BRING 10mm Rope + Climber's Karabiners
01-07-2005 09:07
First Aid Training in Edinburgh
30-06-2005 18:05
Diabolical antics from Diageo - tactical drinking...
30-06-2005 16:55
London actions - Dr Who Crew
30-06-2005 16:46
G8 press accrediation refused to freelance journo
30-06-2005 14:48
G8 LEGAL SUPPORT :: WEBSITE - RELAUNCHED ::
30-06-2005 13:29
Police Surround London Institute for Autonomy in Preparation for G8 Summit
30-06-2005 13:23
G8 police repression already started
30-06-2005 12:40
PRESS REVIEW
30-06-2005 11:56
FIT intimidation at rampART
30-06-2005 11:32
Loving the crowd and its unique power. Take it be it give it
30-06-2005 00:40
Live 8
29-06-2005 12:48
G8 eco village request...
29-06-2005 12:36
Mainstream Media Coverage of Bristol IMC Server Seizure
28-06-2005 16:05
Greek Union G8 Protests
28-06-2005 15:07
Make the G$ History Event Tonight!
28-06-2005 12:27
New Warning on Climate Change
28-06-2005 10:35
G8 Journalism and Public Order Policing
28-06-2005 01:07
G8 - Our Agenda - Our World Working For All Of Us
27-06-2005 23:44
LAST CHANCE FOR TICKETS ON THE RESIST G8 TRAIN
27-06-2005 20:52
InfernalNoiseBrigade -vs- RhythmsOfResistance + LostFilmFest + Filastine G8Benefit Wed
27-06-2005 12:29
Infernal Noise Brigade/LostFilm Fest/Filastine on tour in the UK
27-06-2005 12:15
Letter To The Black Block
27-06-2005 12:14
Dr Who Crew investigate reprts of 'reformed' Daleks...
26-06-2005 23:33
Photos of G8 info point and Jack Kane centre.
26-06-2005 23:21
Brian Haw says `Just do it`
26-06-2005 13:49
Anti-Protestor Propaganda In Newspapers
25-06-2005 08:38
Anti G8 beneift - TONIGHT!
25-06-2005 08:36
News Update : Bristol Indymedia Server Threatened by Police
24-06-2005 21:35
Borders at the G8
24-06-2005 08:12
Make the G8 History
22-06-2005 17:31
Rhythms of Resistance’s “G8 Summer Fete”
22-06-2005 10:05
Monbiot on G8 Media Spin and Bono + Geldof's Shameful Love Fest with UK Gov
21-06-2005 08:08
G8 Immunity for Heads of State
20-06-2005 21:09
London G8 2005 Newswire Archive >>
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