Shut Em Down! Dissent Lives On... Report of UK Anti-G8 Gathering

Kicking off an hour late (well you can't mess with tradition!), the group quickly agreed that we were there to discuss our summer holiday to Germany to help shut the 2007 G8 Summit down – though obviously we would support any actions and events taking place in the UK at the same time. Following this, we were quickly brought up to speed on the mobilisation so far, the main networks involved, the potential convergence spaces and actions planned, as well as hearing some stories from the 'Camp-inski' anti-G8 camp which took place in Northern Germany in August 2006 and reflections on the tactics, equipment and policing styles of German cops. Comrades also noted the international character of the mobilisation, and a few people plan to attend the next international meeting taking place in Warsaw in February.

Getting down to practicalities, it was agreed that while we are not organising a mobilisation in the same way as 2005, we do want to mobilise as many people as possible to Germany. For this reason it was agreed to set up 'info-points' around the country, as well as a new website. Stickers will be produced in large quantities, as well as newsletters, and distributed to the info-points and social-centre's. On the question of transport, whilst most people seemed to favour making their own way there, some folks liked the idea of 'mass-transportation'. It was agreed that we would make travel-info and other useful stuff available through the website, and that 'mass-transportation' would be investigated and discussed again at the next gathering. Likewise, the issue of whether to meet up as a 'UK mobilisation' once in Germany (and if so, how) and whether to camp together as a 'UK barrio' or based on tactics, will be looked at again at the next gathering. A media training day should be organised nearer the time of the summit, and local first-aid and self-defence workshops are being organised in a couple of places, with the potential for UK wide versions being investigated.

The last discussion was dreaded by all, but passed in seconds (and 30 minutes early!) with a unanimous decision: We are the Dissent Network.

So, the website should be up at  http://www.dissent.org.uk/ very soon, decisions will be fed into the international meeting coming up in Warsaw and the next UK gathering will take place towards the end of March, most likely in Reading. Details will be confirmed shortly and publicised in all the usual places, hope to see ya there!

Cheers...