A blockade of the Sheritan Hotel, where the Japanese delegation to the G8 are staying, was planned for 6am this morning. A large police operation blocked off the hotel from all sides and thwarted the protest.
The open action had been discussed in public meetings and advertised with flyers. When around 60-100 activists arrived at the 6am meeting time, they found a line of 100 police in yellow jackets forming a solid line in front of the hotel on Festival Square. More police dressed in black were in support, and there were over 10 police vans. Minor roads to the north and south were also closed, although traffic continued to run freely on Lothian Road and Morrison Street, the main throughways in the area. Essentially, police had surrounded the hotel, preventing activists from effective action.
Activists stood around in the cold and rain, moving slowly from one area to another in a half-hearted attempt to keep the police guessing so as to delay the departure of the Japanese delegates. At one point, riot police formed up along one side of Morrison Street after a group of 50 or so people began to gather there. FIT teams were in operation photographing and filming, but no attempts were made at snatching targets.
By 7am there were rumours that two coaches had left the hotel, but it was not clear if these had contained the delegation.
Protesters waited for an hour and a half. The samba band, who had said they were coming, failed to arrive. When it became clear that they were not going to come, activists cut their losses and moved off.
The open action had been discussed in public meetings and advertised with flyers. When around 60-100 activists arrived at the 6am meeting time, they found a line of 100 police in yellow jackets forming a solid line in front of the hotel on Festival Square. More police dressed in black were in support, and there were over 10 police vans. Minor roads to the north and south were also closed, although traffic continued to run freely on Lothian Road and Morrison Street, the main throughways in the area. Essentially, police had surrounded the hotel, preventing activists from effective action.
Activists stood around in the cold and rain, moving slowly from one area to another in a half-hearted attempt to keep the police guessing so as to delay the departure of the Japanese delegates. At one point, riot police formed up along one side of Morrison Street after a group of 50 or so people began to gather there. FIT teams were in operation photographing and filming, but no attempts were made at snatching targets.
By 7am there were rumours that two coaches had left the hotel, but it was not clear if these had contained the delegation.
Protesters waited for an hour and a half. The samba band, who had said they were coming, failed to arrive. When it became clear that they were not going to come, activists cut their losses and moved off.
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Coaches delayed for short period.
06.07.2005 08:47
A Fish
there's more to the story
06.07.2005 08:51
watch the newswire for more details.
carwil
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carwil@falseignorance.info
three buses of delegates blocked!!
06.07.2005 09:04
Actually, after most people had dispersed from the protest, three buses full of delegates tried to make a quick exit from the Sheraton Hotel. Despite the buses taking different routes, they were blocked at a junction down Morrison Street.
Initially the buses (and following traffic) were blocked by four protestors and one dustbin, soon reinforced by a further 6 people.
Despite the presence of several hundred riot police in the area, the cops were very slow to take action. After 20-30 minutes, small groups of police pushed and chased the individual protestors off the road onto the pavement. One person was detained but subsequently released.
The delegates then managed to continue their journey to Gleneagles.
jolifanto
Stop and search
06.07.2005 10:49
The only point at which I raised any objection was when they took my wallet. I argued that as the point of Section 60 was to establish if those being searched are carrying weapons that didn't entitle them to go through my wallet. The cop doing the search didn't take so well to this and threatened to arrest me, telling me not to tell him what the law was. Given that I was pretty much on my own, there wasn't much I could do, so I conceeded the point and allowed them to look, having decided that it wasn't worth getting arrested over, although I'm sure I was in the right.
Search completed I and a few other were escorted accross the road and told to stay on that side where I met up with a number of further protesters. They didn't seem bothered by us forming up on the other side of the road and it took quite some time for a FIT team to appear.
Disillusioned kid
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