Early reports from this week's World Summit on the Information Society in Geneva suggest that local police have raided the Polimedia Lab which is part of the counter-Summit activities collectively known as 'We Seize!'.
At about 10:45 local time (09:45GMT) reports were received that the Geneva cops had raided the Polimedia hackers lab (
http://www.geneva03.org/polimedia/index.php) operating at SIP 10, Rue des Vieux Grenadiers, Geneva.
The filth claimed the basis for the raid was that the building's owners had not given their permission for the media centre to be set-up and opposed the idea.
The Genevan bacon then ordered everybody to leave. This request was rejected by the Polimedia activists who had set-up the centre to exchange ideas, skill share, to demonstrate and experiment with free and open source software, and to provide a media lab for Indy folk and journalists. The Polimedia Lab's program also includes demonstration and teaching sessions of free and open source software to the good citizens of Geneva.
And the police went and raided it...
The unit of up to twenty scuffers then demanded that anyone attempting to leave the premises had to show their passports or other identification.
This raid is a highly intimidatory tactic designed to undermine 'We Seize!' and to attempt to frustrate the progress of the S-CONF (Strategic Conference) due to start today ( http://www.geneva03.org/sconf/index.php).
Radio LoRa reporting on the raid from within the heart of the United Nations WSIS conference have also found their connection to the Internet mysteriously disabled around the same time that the raid started.
A stand-off continues and those in the building are refusing to leave as they have a legitimate right to be there. Jamie King of 'We Seize!' urges as many people to visit the Polimedia Lab, either in person, or by logging onto the streams and participate in the protest against this cynical attack on liberty.
http://www.geneva03.org/polimedia/index.php) operating at SIP 10, Rue des Vieux Grenadiers, Geneva. The filth claimed the basis for the raid was that the building's owners had not given their permission for the media centre to be set-up and opposed the idea.
The Genevan bacon then ordered everybody to leave. This request was rejected by the Polimedia activists who had set-up the centre to exchange ideas, skill share, to demonstrate and experiment with free and open source software, and to provide a media lab for Indy folk and journalists. The Polimedia Lab's program also includes demonstration and teaching sessions of free and open source software to the good citizens of Geneva.
And the police went and raided it...
The unit of up to twenty scuffers then demanded that anyone attempting to leave the premises had to show their passports or other identification.
This raid is a highly intimidatory tactic designed to undermine 'We Seize!' and to attempt to frustrate the progress of the S-CONF (Strategic Conference) due to start today (
http://www.geneva03.org/sconf/index.php). Radio LoRa reporting on the raid from within the heart of the United Nations WSIS conference have also found their connection to the Internet mysteriously disabled around the same time that the raid started.
A stand-off continues and those in the building are refusing to leave as they have a legitimate right to be there. Jamie King of 'We Seize!' urges as many people to visit the Polimedia Lab, either in person, or by logging onto the streams and participate in the protest against this cynical attack on liberty.
