ST ANDREWS G20: 5/11/09: Five students created a human blockade on the road to the Fairmont Hotel in an attempt to disrupt the G20 finance ministers as they arrived at their St Andrews hotel location for a two-day summit.
The students were protesting against the G20’s current policies regarding the economic recession.
“The G20’s plan to put the IMF at the centre of an economic recovery plan is beyond a joke. It is precisely the structural adjustment programmes of raised interest rates and cuts to public spending imposed by the IMF that have made so many countries suffer during downturns; that’s why Western countries follow the exact opposite policies when they get into trouble, as the nationalisation of banks demonstrates,” said Oliver Kearns, a 3rd year International Relations student.
While both an alternative summit and a march had already been planned by separate groups for Saturday, the students felt it was necessary to take a more direct approach.
“The decisions being made by the finance ministers could literally mean the difference between life and death for millions of people. When the stakes are that high, the cost of breaking the law to try to affect the outcome becomes a small price to pay,” said Benjamin Bridgman, a second year Social Anthropology student.
The students’ actions were not affiliated with any other events organized to coincide with the G20 summit, and stressed that their intention was not to disturb the people of St Andrews.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Photographs available upon request. Members of the group would be happy to give interviews; to request one, please contact the number below.
NOAH FENCE
E-mail:
dontwanttobefiscallystimulated@gmail.com
Phone: 07599189715
“The G20’s plan to put the IMF at the centre of an economic recovery plan is beyond a joke. It is precisely the structural adjustment programmes of raised interest rates and cuts to public spending imposed by the IMF that have made so many countries suffer during downturns; that’s why Western countries follow the exact opposite policies when they get into trouble, as the nationalisation of banks demonstrates,” said Oliver Kearns, a 3rd year International Relations student.
While both an alternative summit and a march had already been planned by separate groups for Saturday, the students felt it was necessary to take a more direct approach.
“The decisions being made by the finance ministers could literally mean the difference between life and death for millions of people. When the stakes are that high, the cost of breaking the law to try to affect the outcome becomes a small price to pay,” said Benjamin Bridgman, a second year Social Anthropology student.
The students’ actions were not affiliated with any other events organized to coincide with the G20 summit, and stressed that their intention was not to disturb the people of St Andrews.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Photographs available upon request. Members of the group would be happy to give interviews; to request one, please contact the number below.
NOAH FENCE
E-mail:
dontwanttobefiscallystimulated@gmail.com Phone: 07599189715
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