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Edinburgh Timeline, Wednesday 6

06.07.2005 14:30 | G8 2005 | Globalisation

Action and events in Edinburgh

Update 17:00 The Mound group were moved up the hill, no corporate press were allowed to follow the group. Another group came round Waverly Station. Protestors were pushed by police all the way down South Street and Nicholson Street to the Medow Park. Protesters were wet and tired of being pushed. There were reports of frayed nerves. They then continued back toward town with police line following toward Lauriston Place.

Update 15:30 The police constructed a pen using temporary barriers on Princes Street. There is a large group in the pen. Police have start arresting people in a violent way within the pen. The atmosphere is getting more grim, people are getting angry and locals outside the pen are shouting "outrage" and "disgrace". People also shouting "whose streets... our streets". There are appr. 250 to 300 people in the pen. There is another group near the mound.

Update 13:40 More police headed for Lothian Road. Protestors allowed to return to Waterloo Place.

Update 12:53 Princes street march. Police are directing the march towards the Meadows. Currently it is near St. John's Church.

Update 12:20 At the junction of Princes Street and The Mound a line of police are stopping people getting from Princes Street to Waterloo Place. The crowd are shouting and using megaphones.

Update 12:00 100s of people have marched down Princes Street into Hanover Street. There is a police line at the bottom of the mound. More buses have arrived apparently to take people to Gleneagles.

Update 11:45 100s of people marching along Princes Street: including G8Alternatives demonstrators and people from the buses stopped from leaving Edinburgh for Gleneagles.

Update 10:50am Vehicles are being stopped and searched on the Forth Road Bridge, north west of Edinburgh.

Update 10:40am Police stopped coaches of demonstrators trying to leave Waterloo Place, telling them the march is cancelled.

Update 10:30am Trains from Edinburgh to Stirling are cancelled until 4:30pm

Update 10:20am 2 police vehicles pulled up (one on the pavement) outside Indymedia center, including Forward Intelligence Team filming, stopping and searching people on street outside.

Update 9:40am G8 press coach blocked by protestors sitting in the road for about 20 minutes. Protestors removed with no arrests.

Update 9am Queensferry Road has been blocked for some time by two cars, causing a long traffic jam. There are a large number of police now removing the car. Local radio reports 15 or so protestors blocking the street.

Update 8:10am Reports of a group of 10-15 protestors successfully blocking Japanese G8 delegate buses at the junction of Morrison Street for about 10 minutes or so by placing themselves in front of the coaches. Also 1 arrest and 1 person has been violently stopped under Section 60 and had their wallet searched.

Update 8am Sheraton still closed off by police and now has a Section 60 order in place around it (pics). Some protestors still there, now with faces covered. No samba, or music arrived.

Update 7am Edinburgh Sheraton Grand Hotel is surrounded by police, including riot police and Forward Intelligence Teams. There are around 100 protestors moving slowly around seeking a way in. One coach was seen leaving the hotel, and the corporate media have arrived.


Comments

Hide the following 17 comments

Changes to the news posted

06.07.2005 09:01

I notice that some of the news that was on this site this morning has now vanished, why this is. Are you self editing, or is there something more we should know about?

Seth
mail e-mail: StephenAOswald@hotmail.com


G8 Alternatives bus ride to . . .

06.07.2005 09:39

The G8 Alternatives bus convoy which was to leave from Waterloo Place at 10 a.m. has been blockaded by the police. We polite activists (polite in at least having the decency to contain ourselves into ready packaged confined spaces of self-arrested) have been told by the police, who have come onto each bus, that the officially sanctioned (and limited to 5000) protest march beginning from Auchterader today has been cancelled. They later came back and said we would be allowed to leave anyway (maybe they would just escort us straight to the gaol) on our busses. At 10:25 one busload pulled away but was immediately surrounded menacingly by police.

At 10:35 we were allowed to drive on. Where to? We have no idea. Why? Well - we'll have to see what mood hits us when we arrive! We are 3 busses. Many people were lined up and waiting for more bus arrivals at Waterloo place when we pulled away.

Rabble Burns


Main artery in Edinburgh blockaded by protesters and controlled car crash

06.07.2005 09:40

A controlled and entirely deliberate car crash along with the action of protesters has blocked the A90 Queensferry Rd, the main artery heading out of Edinburgh towards the Forth Road Bridge (the most direct route towards Gleneagles Hotel), for more than two hours. The action began at 7.20am. More details will be posted soon. ;-)

the artful dodger


Workers for an economic crash

06.07.2005 10:23

Queensferry Road, Edinburgh was totally blocked in both directions by a pirate crew. Sureal, beautiful and musical for two hours from 7.10 to 9.00. Unfortunatly three arrests were made when the pirates left the scene - having been told they could legally leave. You guys rock!

rebecca


Good to see

06.07.2005 11:27

Good to see the Police doing their job and at least trying to keep the violent elements at bay.

Hopefully the real message of hope for Africa will now not be somthered.

Edinburgh ftw


Edinburghers call to arms ~ get your own back on the scum today

06.07.2005 11:43

OK, we have had enough of this crap.

I encourage all decent, law abiding Edinburgh citizens to assemble at the Jack Kane centre later this afternoon or early evening (as some of us do have responsible jobs).

We, the Edinburgh Leith Indignant Tactical Entity ~ ELITE, intend to dismantle what is left of the so called camp and bin the lot.

Why should we put up with these disgusting vandal kids for a minute more. The scum idiots need a good clip round the ear and police boot up thier backside.

Or get along to the Dissent 'office' in Leith Walk and blockade the work refusniks, again a swift boot up the backside and telling off from any Edinburgh wifie should suffice.

"Support your local Police ~ chin an anarchist today"


Greyfriars Bobby


geldof blockade

06.07.2005 12:53

just spoke to a boy in blue and seemingly up town protesters have blockaded a furious geldof and beeb tv crew and are not letting them go anywhere near murrayfield until the police open roads to allow the coaches to get to g8 ... could the situation get any more ridiculous

rabbie jordan


The G8 Posse Have Awakened! LMFAO

06.07.2005 14:45

Yeah I wonder if the G8 leaders are awaken and stirred by the pathetic piss we've seen?!

(1) Blockade streets of small villages around Stirling, Gleneagles and Perth where the population is non-existant. One man, his dog and a tractor material!

(2) Run rampant through a low income, highly unemployed area of Stirling and wreck the place.

(3) Blockade a car with Geldof inside.

Re-awaken comrades the struggle is over!!! We've made the G8 posse stir!!! LMFAO

Wonder Drug


direct action

06.07.2005 15:03

Today I was walking down Lothian Road in Edinburgh, past the Sheraton Hotel, when I noticed a load of police blocking off a road. Oh christ, I thought, the anarchists are out again. Further on down the road I saw a couple of hundred people doing a demonstration. They were surrounded by the police, but the police were allowing them to march down Princes Street.

The people were banging drums, blowing whistles and shouting about "trade justice". Things seemed to be peaceful apart from the noise. For about half a second I thought about joining them, but like 99.9% of people in Edinburgh today I opted not to. I realised I can't be bothered with these people any more, especially after seeing flowers being ripped out of the ground in Princes Street Gardens by protesters on Monday.

Instead, I decided to go and take some direct action. I popped down the stairs next to St John's Church and entered the One World Shop, where I bought two jars of African fairtrade honey (sorry vegans), some natural soap and some natural toothpaste. I left the shop feeling glad that I had just done something positive for Africa and for the environment, not to mention myself.

I looked for a bus to go home. Obviously Princes Street was fucked, but somehow the police had managed to keep things running more or less, despite the disruption. I found a bus and, with only a minor detour, I was on my way home.

beev


Rabble, you're too good for this

06.07.2005 15:08

Rabble, you should do this for a living.

Bob in yesterday's Express "we see a bunch of losers with painted faces thinking they're going to create world revolution by standing on top of park benches and hitting policemen".

I have a distant memory in my head that this is exactly the sort of behaviour the Boomtown Rats used to align themselves with...

louis
- Homepage: http://www.daveches.co.uk


edinburgh quiet now

06.07.2005 16:11

A couple of people arrested, but Police began to disperse crowd slowly. Heavy rain drove away many onlookers and others. Princes St/the Mound junction is now emptying out. Situation calm.

in the streets


happy birthday, Dalai Lama

06.07.2005 16:16

"this is exactly the sort of behaviour the Boomtown Rats used to align themselves with..."

Evidently, Bob has moved on in the decades that have passed since then. I suppose you consider learning and developing as a person to be some kind of unecessary bourgeois crap.

Incidentally, some friends of mine are doing a benefit gig in Edinburgh tonight for Tibetan children. Unfortunately, my friends are are totally stressing out at the moment because of the disruption caused by demonstrators in Edinburgh and the effect that is having on their efforts to make things go ahead as planned. Oh well, that's what you get for trying to be positive!

beev


Riot police or pigs?

06.07.2005 16:53

I'm a quiet sorta guy living in Edinburgh... however after joining in the Princess Street march on monday i urge everyone to gather around Haymarket Station this evening. We live in a democracy and have the right to gather without fear of assualt by our police. I have peacefully protested against this shit happening in other countries but am now ready to stand up for my freedom and crush this police state.... fuck the concert.... fuck the polce.

Amulet121


PC Grayfriars Bobby

06.07.2005 17:26

Grayfriars Bobby - "Support your local Police"

Whats wrong ? Don't you have enough of your mates up from the MET, Merseyside, West Midlands, TVP and Yorkshire to control this supposed threat?

 GrayfrairsBobby@FettesPoliceHQ.cop



ACAB


the mound group

06.07.2005 17:54

the mound group ended up being penned in at the top of waterloo place (17:15) after the breakwaway shenanigans in the old town

see you all down there again tomorrow

whose streets? OUR STREETS

alex trocchi


The Grand Old Duke of York

06.07.2005 18:11


"Oh the Grand Old Duke of York,
He had ten thousand men,
He marched them up to the top of the hill
and then he marched them down again.

And when they were up they were up,
And when they were down they were down,
And when they were only half way up
they were neither up nor down."


Pretty much describes the happenings in Edinburgh this week...

anon


Photos of the Edinburgh march- from 10am til approx 5pm

07.07.2005 21:14

Hi all,

I uploaded some photos from the day of the march in Edinburgh from the time the buses were leaving up until the 'fencing in' of protestors on Princes St. The police presence is unnecessarily extravagant considering all day only one bottle was thrown (by some poor misguided soul)...

 http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/gadgetfiend2000/my_photos

Steve


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