Thousands to protest upcoming G-8 summit

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Thousands to protest upcoming G-8 summit
By DAVID RISING, Associated Press Writer
16 minutes ago


ROSTOCK, Germany - Buses and trains from across Europe streamed into the northern port city of Rostock on Saturday, bringing thousands of protesters to the largest-yet demonstration over the upcoming G-8 meeting of industrialized powers.

Some 13,000 police were on hand, and organizers said they expect up to 100,000 protesters for the daylong demonstration under the motto "another world is possible."

"The world shaped by the dominance of the G-8 is a world of war, hunger, social divisions, environmental destruction and barriers against migrants and refugees," organizers said in leaflets handed out on the streets. "We want to protest against this and show the alternatives."

Hours before the official start of the demonstration, authorities said more than 20,000 protesters had arrived in Rostock.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070602/ap_on_bi_ge/g8_demonstration;_ylt=A0WTUZXHV2FG0V4AEQ2s0NUE

[rodeodance]

1. they are doing it up good.

[The2ndWheel]

2. And what do they get for their trouble?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6683803.stm

The German authorities are compiling a database of human scents to track down possible violent protesters at the G8 summit in June.
The method, once used by East Germany's secret police, the Stasi, involves collecting scent samples in advance from selected targets.

The scents are then passed to police equipped with sniffer dogs who can pick the individuals out amid a crowd.

Past G8 summits have suffered serious unrest, which Germany is keen to avoid.

[maddezmom]

3. CNNI have live shots of the protestors now

looks like things are heating up

[maddezmom]

4. the police were seen as retreating

getting pelted with rocks by a small number of people

[maddezmom]

6. people are being arrested now

and they are showing many people bloodied getting caught in the cross fire of the rock throwing and violence. :(

[cal04]

5. Tens of thousands protest against G8 summit in Germany

Tens of thousands of protestors marched through this northeastern German port on Saturday to show their opposition to next week's G8 summit of the world's wealthiest nations.

Organisers said they were expecting 100,000 people from anti-poverty and anti-globalisation groups to demonstrate in the nearest city to the luxury coastal resort of Heiligendamm where the leaders will gather from Wednesday.

But police said only 30,000 people were taking part.

(snip)

Dirk Mirow, a 37-year-old German taking part in the demonstration, said he was hoping the summit would achieve a major breakthrough on capping greenhouse gases.

"I am here to protest for the climate because I have a two-year-old daughter and I'm wondering what sort of world we are creating for her," he said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070602/ts_afp/g8summitgermanydemo_070602114508

[maddezmom]

7. Protesters attack police after Rostock anti-G8 demo

ROSTOCK, Germany, June 2 (Reuters) - Protesters threw stones and bottles and attacked police officers with sticks in the German port of Rostock on Saturday after a largely peaceful demonstration against next week's Group of Eight summit.

A group of demonstrators set upon police after a series of marches in the town. Reuters witnesses saw demonstrators throwing bottles and cobblestones at riot police, who fired tear gas in response. Several people were detained.

"There was a massive outbreak against police officers. Stones were thrown and they used sticks too," said a police spokeswoman. She could give no details on injuries or the number of people detained. According to police around 20,000 people gathered in the Baltic port city to protest against the G8 summit in Heiligendamm on June 6-8. Police said around 500 potential troublemakers were among the crowd.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L02483545.htm

[Heidi]

8. Kick.

:kick:

[maddezmom]

9. Violence mars G-8 protest in Germany

Source: AP

ROSTOCK, Germany - Buses and trains from across Europe streamed into the northern port city of Rostock on Saturday, bringing thousands of protesters to the largest-yet demonstration over the upcoming G-8 meeting of industrialized powers.

A group of protesters attacked a hotel where an American delegation is supposed to stay during the G-8 summit this week, and some demonstrators also battered police cars with rocks, bottles and paint bombs, authorities said.

Although organizers on their Web site emphasized that they wanted a peaceful protest, they added: "This may be different with the actions following later in the week of protest."

Some 13,000 police were on hand, and authorities said about 30,000 protesters had come for the daylong demonstration under the motto "another world is possible."



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070602/ap_on_re_eu/g8_demonstration

---

Thousands of demonstrators protest in the northern German city of Rostock on Saturday, June 2, 2007, against the upcoming G8 summmit. Dozens of different groups, including communists, anarchists and environmentalists, were taking part and messages were mixed: Some urged action from the G-8 countries in the fight against HIV/AIDS, African poverty and climate change, while others questioned the legitimacy of the existence of the G-8 itself. The protest comes ahead of the three-day summit that opens Wednesday in the nearby northern resort town of Heiligendamm, where German Chancellor Angela Merkel hosts the leaders of the other G-8 nations — Britain, France, Japan, Italy, Russia, Canada, and the United States. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

[babylonsister]

10. And amazingly, OUR media whores are covering the protests. I wonder

why they're so dishonest when it comes to protests here?

[razzleberry]

11. the US should get out .n/t

[rodeodance]

12. CNN just showed lots of live footage.

[otherlander]

19. That is a beautiful photograph.

[maddezmom]

13. Sky News is reporting that the organizers are now in negotiations with the police

on whether or not to shut down the protests

[maddezmom]

14. things look to be calmed down now

musician singing

[maddezmom]

15. nix that, not sure but looks like the tear gas is out

or cars are on fire

[gorbal]

16. Dones anyone wish they woudl give more coverage to NON-Violent protests?

By rewarding protestors with media coverage when they become violent, but not when they don't they are basically encoraging more violence.

They probably want to, those profit hungry whores.

[maddezmom]

17. the majority of the people there are peaceful

and seem quite pissed that the protest is being hijacked.

[otherlander]

18. Don't they realize that they're only playing into their enemies' hands?

(The violent ones, that is.)
They're giving the police an excuse to tear gas all of the nonviolent demonstrators, letting the media say, "VIOLENT PROTESTERS ATTACK POLICE!", and changing the context to "Fights between police and demonstrators" from "Demonstrators gather peacefully for change; police (fill in the blank)." :banghead:

And I realize that most of them were nonviolent.

[gorbal]

26. Yeah we know,

Most of the Protestors at the Seattle WTO protests in 2000 were peacfull, yet somehow the guys who broke windows were the only ones who got any press.

[Judi Lynn]

20. Thousands gather for G8 protests

02/06 12:40 CET Thousands gather for G8 protests

Thousands of anti-globalisation demonstrators have been converging on the German city of Rostock, ready to protest against the G8 summit of world leaders next week. Police are expecting up to 100,000 protestors to pack the city, about 20 kilometres from the site of the summit on the Baltic coast in the north of Germany.

Thousands have already set up camp in four locations. 40 separate gatherings are planned in the city, and although shop-owners have been busy boarding up windows, police expect the protests to pass peacefully. This woman said: "I'm expecting as many people as possible will come together to show their dissatisfaction with today's world economic system." Another protestor said: "Maybe with enough motivation we will be able to at least shake up the G8."

Mindful of the violent scenes which have accompanied previous summits, German police have mounted extensive, and sometimes controversial, security preparations - among them, a two kilometre exclusion zone surrounding this specially built fence, which encircles the centre at Heiligendamm.

The ban around the fence has been the subject of numerous court decisions. Even Rostock harbour has become home to vessels bearing Greenpeace banners. 16,000 police are on duty, in Germany's biggest security operation since the end of World War Two.
(snip/...)

http://euronews.net/index.php?page=info&article=425518&lng=1

[maddezmom]

21. not all has been peaceful unfortunately

http://news.sky.com/skynews/video/videoplayer/0,,30000-1268745,.html

[Judi Lynn]

22. German ban on rightwing anti-G8 rally leads to protests

Saturday, June 02, 2007 at 17:37
Subject: /G8-Diplomacy/Demos/Rightwing/

German ban on rightwing anti-G8 rally leads to protests

Berlin (dpa) - A court ban on a rally organized by the rightwing German National Democratic Party (NPD) to protest against this week's G8 summit being hosted by Germany led to impromptu demonstrations in several cities across the country Saturday.

In Berlin a group of 100 marched under the Brandenburg Gate, thrusting aside police who attempted to prevent them.

After reinforcements arrived, police dispersed the group and made 13 arrests.

Some 300 NPD supporters marched through the city of Lueneberg in the state of Lower Saxony, and a similar march was held in Lauenburg in Schleswig Holstein.

Guestrow, near Rostock saw a protest by 250 rightists, and some 300 gathered in Wittenberge in the state of Brandenburg that surrounds Berlin.
(snip/...)

http://www.eux.tv/article.aspx?articleId=9105

[ohio2007]

23. pics

Always with the masks.....



A hooded demonstrators throws a stone towards German police officers during clashes after a protest march of tens of thousands of people against the upcoming G8 summit in downtown Rostock, northeastern Germany, Saturday, June 2, 2007. The demonstration turned violent when some of the protesters clashed with police officers, throwing stones and flagpoles at officers, a spokeswoman said. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070602/ap_on_re_eu/g8_demonstration;_ylt=AsMcDKQzvB57GJ4WoDGUu19vaA8F

[Ghost Dog]

24. Forget AP. For indymedia in situ reporting (in english), start here:

http://de.indymedia.org/ticker/en/

Eg. At current time:

02.06.2007

...

* 21:50:
Camp Rostock: Police are said to be retreating now.

* 21:15:
Camp Rostock: About 30-40 cops, 4 or 5 water cannons and one sweeping tank outside the camp, but no violent confrontations at the moment.

* 20:45:
Camp Rostock: About 200 people from Camp Rostock wanted to go and hold a solidarity protest at the prison where the people who were arrested earlier today are held. However, the were confronted with police and water cannon a few hundred meters outside the camp.

* 20:00:
Rostock: According to the Legal Teams, at least 100 were detained on the Rostock demo today.

* 20:00:
Schwerin: According to the Legal Teams, as of 6:00pm over100 nicked at the Schwerin central train station were still detained without being charged. More recent reports, however, say most of them have been released now.

* 19:35:
The concert organisers want to continue with the concert anyway. The situation is calm now.

* 19:20:
Irie Révoltés are playing now. People are dancing the police out of the place.

* 18:45:
The concert is interrupted again.

* 18:40:
The concert resumes. A lot of arrests and water cannons in action.

* 18:25:
A cloud of tear gas could still be seen in the harbour area. Two water cannons are still there but not in action. Snatch squads are trying single out people from the crowd or leaving groups to arrest them. Accesses and exits from the harbour area are only from the front and back, but not the lanes to the city centre any more.

* 18:15:
The situation calms down somewhat. There are bigger groups of people in front of the stage and towards the Speicher. In between, police and water cannons. All roads to the city centre are closed in both directions. Polices forces from several federal states as well as the federal police are involved.

* 18:05:
The concert has stopped.

* 18:00:
Police are using 5 water cannons in the festival area, and three additional ones in the streets, to extinguish on a burning car and burning barricades (made of garbage containers). A bigger group of people is being pushed away in the direction of the Speicher. The concert on the stage goes on an audience of several thousands.

* 17:45:
Rostock: The demo organisers say some 80.000 people took part in the international demo today.

* 17:30:
A water cannon and tear gas are being used by cops against the remaining demonstrators at the only exit from the rally area, so people are not able to leave although the speeches and music have stopped.

* 17:30:
Snatch squads in black gear with dogs were seen in Rostock shopping centre following a group of demonstrators who dispersed into the inner city. A 'check point' and stop-and-searches on Rosa Luxemburg St. and other main streets.

* 16:40:
Police are withdrawing from the harbour area and water cannons are being taken away too.

* 16:15:
Some 20 cops were seen at the Bramow train station, near Camp Rostock, and more police cars driving in that direction, presumably to conduct controls or arrest demonstrators coming back from the Rostock demo.

* 16:10:
Rostock: Riot police units have charged into the crowd near the stage again and are now surrounded by people. Sticks and stones are been thrown at them.

* 15:40:
Rostock: The situation seems to be calming down a little. There was an announcement from the stage that the music will be stopped until the police retreat and police have allegedly said they will.

* 15:30:
Rostock: Police have retreated to the edge of the harbour along the trees line, but are still 'charging' into the crowd every now and then on that side of the demo. Several more people have been arrested and more injuries.

* 15:20:
Rostock: An ambulance was seen taking someone with injuries. Several injuries have been reported but no details yet. It is not only the so-called Black Bloc that is being attacked but also other 'normal' protesters.

* 15:10:
Rostock: A group of 40-50 riot cops, who had charged into the demonstrators, were surrounded by people putting their hands up peacefully, while pushing towards them, until they drove them out of the crowd, but then the cops turned around and started hitting with their batons again. This hands-up pushing was repeated again a while later.

* 15:00:
Rostock: Confrontations have kicked off on the Rostock march as it arrived in Am Strande street by the Harbour, where the concert is supposed to be held. Blocs of riot police rushed into the crowd for no apparent reason and split the mass into two parts, hitting people randomly. Some demonstrators reacted back by throwing stick and stones. At least 5 injuries and over 10 arrests have been witnessed so far.

* 14:15:
Schwerin: The first bus of people who were arrested at the central train station has arrived at a 'detention place' in Graf-Yorck Street. The second bus, which has 6-7 minors aboard, has just left the station.

* 13:45:
Rostock: Demonstrators at the Rostock central station are still preparing to march and will continue to do so for at least another 20 minutes. There are about 40 big puppets and two samba bands at the front of the march. A black bloc of several thousand people are on the march too. It was announced from the rally stage a while ago that Nazis are heading towards Rostock but not to worry.

* 13:15:
Rostock: The big demo has started to march from the Rostock central train station.

* 13:05:
Shwerin: The 150 or so Antifa activists penned in at the Schwerin train station are all being arrested right now. So far 30-40 have been put on a green police coach as well as a public transport bus commandeered by police. There are approximately 100 left in the pen in the process of being arrested and their personal details taken. Legal observers are also trying to get people's names through the windows. While being walked to the buses through a corridor formed by police vans, arrestees are being interviewed by mainstream media.

* 12:30:
Rostock: The demo coordination group said that all buses carrying protesters have arrived in Rostock without any police controls.

* 12:20:
The National Democratic Party (neo-Nazis) are demonstrating at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. There are some 200 Nazis in Güstrow. Another 5 buses of Nazis are on their way to Berlin.

* 11:50:
Schwerin: Police have cleared the square outside the train station and cordoned it off. A water canon has been brought in. Antifas are still inside the pen and it looks like they might be arrested soon (police have put helmets on etc.). There are some legal observers and mainstream media.

...

[gorbal]

25. Thanks for posting that.

* 16:10:
Rostock: Riot police units have charged into the crowd near the stage again and are now surrounded by people. Sticks and stones are been thrown at them.

Strange how much the regular press leaves out. I wonder how many PROTESTORS were injured by police.