Here is the English translation of the call for mass blockades of the 2007 G8 summit. The call is signed by Antifaschistische Linke Berlin, Avanti – Projekt undogmatische Linke, Gruene Jugend (Budesvorstand), and X-tausendmal quer; along with individual activists from Attac, Solid, and Werkstatt fuer Gewaltfreie Aktion.
For more information about the 2007 summit, see: www.g8-2007.de, www.gipfelsoli.org and www.dissentnetwork.org
For more information about the 2007 summit, see: www.g8-2007.de, www.gipfelsoli.org and www.dissentnetwork.org
For mass blockades of the
2007 G8 Summit in Heiligendamm
Block the G8!
Almost every spectrum of the political left – from NGOs, church groups and trade unions, to Attac and the groups and networks of the radical left – have called for protests against the G8 Summit in Heiligendamm (near Rostock in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany), planned for June 2007. Already, a year ahead of the Summit, it is clear that it will be the biggest leftwing mobilisation in Germany in years, in terms of its breadth, number of participants, and the intensity of actions – on top of this, the mobilisation will be international.
According to the plan so far, and the way it was discussed at the Action Conference in Rostock in March 2006, the mobilisation won’t be limited to the obligatory big demonstration, counter-conference and cultural event. The perspective held by many is that powerful days of resistance to the G8 and the current world order should also be an opportunity for the possibility of, and forces for, change to be made visible. The migration-political day of action and the camp play a role in this – along with an action perspective yet to be realised: Blockade the G8!
The critique of the G8 always returns to its lack of legitimacy. Alone the construction of the G8 as the group of eight most powerful and economically strong states on Earth illustrates their lack of a democratic basis. Discussions are held and decisions made with global implications, without the vast majority of those affected being represented in any way. But the G8 does not just lack a democratic legitimacy, but also one of political content.
The world dominated by the G8 is a world of war, poverty and misery, a worldwide attack on social and democratic rights, ongoing environmental destruction, and a political practice of removing rights and carrying out torture in connection with the “war on terror”. All of this not despite but because of the politics of the G8 states – and the G8’s alibi of debt forgiveness and “Help for Africa” cannot distract from this.
The issue here is not that the G8 should make other decisions. Rather, we want to call the G8 and its politics itself into question. We reject the legitimacy of the G8 as a whole. This clear “No!” is also reflected in the form of our protest.
From the perspective of a globalisation from below and a world of solidarity, democracy, peace and respect for natural resources, a political concept and the mobilisation of a large number of demonstrators is necessary, but by no means enough. Along with good arguments, a symbolic and practical break with the G8’s claim to power is necessary in order to make clear that we want to do more than just register protest. A practical delegitimation needs to take place which expresses itself in the form of our actions: in which we do not recognise the power of the G8, in which we actively refuse, in which we obstruct. Ultimately, we need to appropriate the collective determination of our future.
Our objective is blockades in which thousands of people from different political and cultural spectrums, and with experience of different action forms, can take part; in which actions do not only respect and tolerate one another, but where a way is found to genuinely act together. For this, we don’t need “heroes”, but rather the strength which comes from the solidarity and collectivity of many. Our action plans, therefore, are not oriented towards the needs of the apparently most committed or radical. Rather, as calculable situation as possible should be created in which decision making structures are transparent, the boundaries of everyone are respected and a political and practical responsibility for seeing through the blockades are taken on. We are convinced that these are the conditions in which thousands of people from different backgrounds would genuinely be able to actively participate.
Even if the blockades do have a symbolic meaning as a symbol of resistance and social disobedience, we are not aiming for a purely symbolic action. Our objective is a genuine blockade of the 2007 G8 Summit and to cut it off from its infrastructure. We will occupy points through which the enormous number of service providers, translators, ordinary delegation members and so on… need to pass – and we will not leave these points voluntarily. We are not, however, looking for confrontation with the police. Our objective, rather, is to realise lasting and mass blockades, and to create a situation which is calculably and transparently created by as many blockaders as possible.
We understand ourselves as fundamentally in solidarity with action concepts from other leftwing summit opponents and it is not our intention to limit the diverse ways in which the movement expresses itself. At the same time, we take for granted that everyone who takes part in the actions will respect the consensus reached at particular blockade points.
The big opportunity presented by the anti-G8 mobilisation – which motivates everyone involved – is to realise commonality and facilitate communication over the borders which currently divide spectrums and concepts, and on this basis open the movement for many new activists. Through this, a long term strengthening and empowerment of the leftwing political movement could grow from the days of protest and resistance in June 2007. It is on this basis that we are convinced of the necessity to leave divided conceptions of action and blockade forms behind and to look for new forms of commonality in action.
We come from different traditions of protest and resistance: from the youth environmental and anti-nuclear movements, from Attac and the radical left, from non-violent action groups and the autonomous antifascist movement. We bring with us, into this cooperation, diverse and years-long experience of blockade actions: experience from the CASTOR (nuclear waste) transport in the Wendland (in northern Germany), experience of successful blockades of Nazi demonstrations in Berlin, Kiel and Leipzig, experience from the Resist campaign against the Iraq war, and of course experience of summit blockades, for example in Evian in 2003.
Aware of our differences, we have decided to take responsibility for the mass blockades of the 2007 G8. Many questions remain to be answered within an exciting processes of getting to know one another and finding ourselves. For all of us, the conviction about, and optimism for, successful mass blockades of the 2007 G8 summit, along with a lasting, positive action experience for activists can only come from moving beyond the borders of our respective spectrums and acting together.
This Call Out primarily has the objective of presenting our thoughts about mass blockades up until now. We hope that blockade groups which can imagine taking part in such actions will be established in as many locations as possible over the coming weeks and months. With a common “Blockade on Tour” trip, beginning in the Autumn, we hope to be able to support the process of group building. We hope that many of these blockade groups, and others, will come to the International G8 Action Conference in Rostock from 10th-12th November 2006 to call the blockade network into being.
4th August 2006
Antifaschistische Linke Berlin [Antifascist Left Berlin], Avanti – Projekt undogmatische Linke [Avanti - Project for an undogmatic left], Gruene Jugend (Budesvorstand) [Green Party Youth (Federal Steering Committee)], X-tausendmal quer [a network for mass blockades of nuclear waste (i.e. CASTOR) transports].
Along with individual activists from: Attac (Germany), Solid [Socialist Youth], and Werkstatt fuer Gewaltfreie Aktion [Workshop for Non-violent Action].
We are contactable by email via:
blockade@g8-2007.de
2007 G8 Summit in Heiligendamm
Block the G8!
Almost every spectrum of the political left – from NGOs, church groups and trade unions, to Attac and the groups and networks of the radical left – have called for protests against the G8 Summit in Heiligendamm (near Rostock in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany), planned for June 2007. Already, a year ahead of the Summit, it is clear that it will be the biggest leftwing mobilisation in Germany in years, in terms of its breadth, number of participants, and the intensity of actions – on top of this, the mobilisation will be international.
According to the plan so far, and the way it was discussed at the Action Conference in Rostock in March 2006, the mobilisation won’t be limited to the obligatory big demonstration, counter-conference and cultural event. The perspective held by many is that powerful days of resistance to the G8 and the current world order should also be an opportunity for the possibility of, and forces for, change to be made visible. The migration-political day of action and the camp play a role in this – along with an action perspective yet to be realised: Blockade the G8!
The critique of the G8 always returns to its lack of legitimacy. Alone the construction of the G8 as the group of eight most powerful and economically strong states on Earth illustrates their lack of a democratic basis. Discussions are held and decisions made with global implications, without the vast majority of those affected being represented in any way. But the G8 does not just lack a democratic legitimacy, but also one of political content.
The world dominated by the G8 is a world of war, poverty and misery, a worldwide attack on social and democratic rights, ongoing environmental destruction, and a political practice of removing rights and carrying out torture in connection with the “war on terror”. All of this not despite but because of the politics of the G8 states – and the G8’s alibi of debt forgiveness and “Help for Africa” cannot distract from this.
The issue here is not that the G8 should make other decisions. Rather, we want to call the G8 and its politics itself into question. We reject the legitimacy of the G8 as a whole. This clear “No!” is also reflected in the form of our protest.
From the perspective of a globalisation from below and a world of solidarity, democracy, peace and respect for natural resources, a political concept and the mobilisation of a large number of demonstrators is necessary, but by no means enough. Along with good arguments, a symbolic and practical break with the G8’s claim to power is necessary in order to make clear that we want to do more than just register protest. A practical delegitimation needs to take place which expresses itself in the form of our actions: in which we do not recognise the power of the G8, in which we actively refuse, in which we obstruct. Ultimately, we need to appropriate the collective determination of our future.
Our objective is blockades in which thousands of people from different political and cultural spectrums, and with experience of different action forms, can take part; in which actions do not only respect and tolerate one another, but where a way is found to genuinely act together. For this, we don’t need “heroes”, but rather the strength which comes from the solidarity and collectivity of many. Our action plans, therefore, are not oriented towards the needs of the apparently most committed or radical. Rather, as calculable situation as possible should be created in which decision making structures are transparent, the boundaries of everyone are respected and a political and practical responsibility for seeing through the blockades are taken on. We are convinced that these are the conditions in which thousands of people from different backgrounds would genuinely be able to actively participate.
Even if the blockades do have a symbolic meaning as a symbol of resistance and social disobedience, we are not aiming for a purely symbolic action. Our objective is a genuine blockade of the 2007 G8 Summit and to cut it off from its infrastructure. We will occupy points through which the enormous number of service providers, translators, ordinary delegation members and so on… need to pass – and we will not leave these points voluntarily. We are not, however, looking for confrontation with the police. Our objective, rather, is to realise lasting and mass blockades, and to create a situation which is calculably and transparently created by as many blockaders as possible.
We understand ourselves as fundamentally in solidarity with action concepts from other leftwing summit opponents and it is not our intention to limit the diverse ways in which the movement expresses itself. At the same time, we take for granted that everyone who takes part in the actions will respect the consensus reached at particular blockade points.
The big opportunity presented by the anti-G8 mobilisation – which motivates everyone involved – is to realise commonality and facilitate communication over the borders which currently divide spectrums and concepts, and on this basis open the movement for many new activists. Through this, a long term strengthening and empowerment of the leftwing political movement could grow from the days of protest and resistance in June 2007. It is on this basis that we are convinced of the necessity to leave divided conceptions of action and blockade forms behind and to look for new forms of commonality in action.
We come from different traditions of protest and resistance: from the youth environmental and anti-nuclear movements, from Attac and the radical left, from non-violent action groups and the autonomous antifascist movement. We bring with us, into this cooperation, diverse and years-long experience of blockade actions: experience from the CASTOR (nuclear waste) transport in the Wendland (in northern Germany), experience of successful blockades of Nazi demonstrations in Berlin, Kiel and Leipzig, experience from the Resist campaign against the Iraq war, and of course experience of summit blockades, for example in Evian in 2003.
Aware of our differences, we have decided to take responsibility for the mass blockades of the 2007 G8. Many questions remain to be answered within an exciting processes of getting to know one another and finding ourselves. For all of us, the conviction about, and optimism for, successful mass blockades of the 2007 G8 summit, along with a lasting, positive action experience for activists can only come from moving beyond the borders of our respective spectrums and acting together.
This Call Out primarily has the objective of presenting our thoughts about mass blockades up until now. We hope that blockade groups which can imagine taking part in such actions will be established in as many locations as possible over the coming weeks and months. With a common “Blockade on Tour” trip, beginning in the Autumn, we hope to be able to support the process of group building. We hope that many of these blockade groups, and others, will come to the International G8 Action Conference in Rostock from 10th-12th November 2006 to call the blockade network into being.
4th August 2006
Antifaschistische Linke Berlin [Antifascist Left Berlin], Avanti – Projekt undogmatische Linke [Avanti - Project for an undogmatic left], Gruene Jugend (Budesvorstand) [Green Party Youth (Federal Steering Committee)], X-tausendmal quer [a network for mass blockades of nuclear waste (i.e. CASTOR) transports].
Along with individual activists from: Attac (Germany), Solid [Socialist Youth], and Werkstatt fuer Gewaltfreie Aktion [Workshop for Non-violent Action].
We are contactable by email via:
blockade@g8-2007.de
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Call for Mass Blockades Updated!
02.03.2007 11:01
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Block G8! - move, block, stay
At the beginning of June 2007, the heads of state and government of the eight largest economic powers will come together for the G8 Summit in Heiligendamm near Rostock.As an act of civil disobedience, we will blockade this Summit. Our reason: The politics of the G8 stand for neoliberal, globalised capitalism, which dramatically increases the gap between the rich and poor worldwide. With the “"Block G8" campaign, we say “"No!"” and reject the legitimacy of the G8!
Different initiatives and movements are calling for resistance to the Summit. People from around the globe will articulate their protest through a diverse range of actions. The “"Block G8" campaign is one part of this. Take part in the protest actions and take a stand against the politics of the G8!
Resistance against the G8 –- For a Globalisation from Below
In June 2007, the voice of the powerful will not be the only one to be heard: Tens of thousands of people from around the globe will gather to demonstrate against the G8 and to take action together. Almost every milieu of the globalisation-critical movement have been called upon to protest. The other world will make its voice loud and clear and stand up for a globalisation from below: for equal rights; for political and cultural rights for all human-beings; for the right to global freedom of movement; for the responsible use of natural resources worldwide; for the guaranteeing of public spaces and goods; and for global social justice.
Mass and lasting blockades – We've come, and we're here to stay!
The “"Block G8"” campaign are organising blockades as an action of civil disobedience in which thousands of people from different political, social and cultural backgrounds can take part. Together, through these actions, we articulate a clear “"No!"” towards the G8. In doing so, however, we will not only demonstrate; we will actively block the G8 and the access roads to the conference centre over which the staff of diplomats, translators and service providers need to pass in order to get to Heiligendamm. We will not leave these access roads voluntarily, because our action is not intended to remain symbolic. We want to actually and effectively block the G8 Summit and cut it off from its infrastructure: We've come, and we're here to stay!
During the actions, we want to create a situation which is transparent for all the blockaders and in which the participants in the action show solidarity by taking care and supporting each other. Everybody needs to take responsibility for the success of powerful and decided blockades and mutually respect the borders and the protest cultures of all the participants. Potential police brutality, for example during the eviction of a blockade, has to be resisted, together, by showing solidarity and using the methods of civil disobedience.
Together Against the G8 Summit
Behind the concept of the mass blockades there are groups, organisations and individuals belonging to: the environmental and anti-nuclear movement; the globalisation-critical networks and the radical left; from non-violent action and autonomous antifascist groups; from the youth-wing of political parties and trade unions, as well as church groups. We bring diverse blockade experiences with us: from the anti-nuclear waste (CASTOR) transports in the Wendland (in North Germany), from the successful blockades of neo-nazi marches in Berlin, Kiel and Leipzig, from the “"Resist" campaign against the Iraq war, and from the protests against previous G8 summits.
The “"Block G8" campaign understands itself as a part of a broad societal resistance against the G8. The mass blockades, therefore, will fit in with the other actions and demonstrations and be agreed upon with other groups and initiatives.
Our actions build on the summit protests of previous years. In 1999 at the protests against the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Seattle it was possible, for the first time, through mass blockades and other actions, to delay the conference's opening ceremony for hours –- an event which resonated throughout the world and marked the arrival of the globalisation-critical movement. With the actions in Seattle, the first cracks in the project of neoliberal globalisation were shown. Let's enlarge these cracks together in Heiligendamm!
Everyone can take part! There are different possibilities:
Declare your participation in the “"Block G8" campaign. Already, ahead of the Summit, we want to generate pressure against the G8 through thousands of declarations of intent. We want thousands of people to declare, as far as possible, that they will take part in the blockades in June 2007.
State your solidarity. If you already know that you cannot go to Heiligendamm, express your solidarity with the blockaders by signing this declaration of solidarity.
Form local groups and prepare, together, for blockades in Heiligendamm. The success of the blockades depend, amongst other things, on well-prepared groups and individuals. We offer trainings for action groups. Get in touch.
Organise events near you. We will happily come and explain about the G8, to report on the idea behind the “"Block G8" campaign, to give an impression of the state of preparations and the possibility for taking part in actions.
MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT: WWW.BLOCK-G8.ORG
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The G8 summits are a symbol. They serve those in government as a demonstration of their power. Their news reports: There is no alternative to the new world order. With our action, we want to clearly reject the apparent lack of alternatives.
At the G8 summit, politics are concretely made and coordinated; a politics in which the interests of big business and financial investors are central. Around the globe, the dramatic division between the rich and the poor is worsened; accompanied by the widespread dismantling of social and democratic rights. When the G8 talk about debt relief and aid programmes for the poor, they remain silent about the fact that hunger, poverty and indebtedness are the result of neoliberal, globalised capitalism. The politics of the G8 lead to the unabated destruction of the basic requirements for human life, secures the access of a few states to the majority of resources, and is ultimately imposed through wars.
The G8 is an institution without legitimacy. It is a Club of the governments of only eight states which arrogates to make decisions that affect the lived realities of people around the world. It is not about different policies being formulated at the G8 summits; far more it is about calling into question and rejecting the legitimacy of the G8 and its politics in general.
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Support Us with a Donation
Preparing and seeing through blockades costs a lot of money: The printing of this flyer and other materials, action trainings, office costs, infrastructure during the actions and much more… Whether 5, 10, 25, 50 Euros or (gladly) more – every donation helps us to say, together with you, “"No!"” to the G8.
ACCOUNT FOR DONATIONS
Account Name: Block G8
Account No.: 400 870 0801
Sort Code (BLZ): 430 609 67
Bank Name: GLS Gemeinschaftsbank
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The “"Block G8"” Campaign Are:
X-tausendmal quer [Anti-nuclear civil disobedience network]
IG Metal Youth Dessau
AVANTI - Project for an undogmatic left
BUKO - Federal Coordination for Internationalism
Antifascist Left Berlin
BASTA! Left Youth Lübeck
BUNDjugend [Youth Federation for the Protection of Nature and the Environment]
AKU Wiesbaden [Environmental Working Group Wiesbaden]
Fantômas magazine editors
IG Metal Youth Halle
Antifa-KOK Düsseldorf and Area
Münster Institute for Theology and Politics
Green Party Youth Federal Steering Committee
Radical Left Nürnberg
Interventionist Left
IG Metal Youth Berlin
['solid] - the socialist youth
Antifascist Left International Göttingen
Workshop for Non-violent Action Baden
Activists from attac
Junge Linke.PDS Sachsen [Left Party.PDS (Youth) Sachsen]
Pax Christi - Commission for Global Economy, Ecology and Social Justice
Kairos Europa
FelS (Für eine linke Strömung) Berlin [For a Leftwing Current, Berlin]
CONTACT
Kampagne Block G8
Nernstweg 32
22765 Hamburg
Germany
www.block-g8.org
Block G8
e-mail:
blockade@g8-2007.de
Homepage:
http://www.block-g8.org