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German police declare a general ban on demonstrations in designated areas around the G8 summit
Press release International Press Group
Contact: g8-press-int@nadir.org
16th of May
*G8: German police declare a general ban on demonstrations in designated areas around the G8 summit
*Restrictions on the right to demonstrate are heavily criticized
*G8 summit protesters announce law suit
The special police department “Kavala”, responsible for the security of the G8 summit, has issued yesterday evening a so-called General Ban. This was formally communicated to the negotiators of one of the protest marches. In the past, “Kavala” always has denied plans of such a restriction of the right to protest. Even the website of “Kavala” has stated for months that no restrictions would be placed on demonstrations in the area of the fence. Now it is clear that no demonstrations against the G8 will be allowed in an area of several kilometers outside of the fence.
“There are plans for an area outside of the fence as well as the road network around Heiligendamm for the time frame in question that will be subjected to a ban of association”, so the letter of “Kavala”.
The order will most likely be signed by Christiane Röttgers. Röttgers works closely with the governmental presidency in Luneburg and has been a central administrator of General Bans during the regular mass protests against the nuclear Castor transports. Now she is working as head of the “Association Department” at “Kavala”. She is expected to implement the restrictions of the right to protest in Heiligendamm.
“Kavala” has suspended the release of this order for a long time. Such a practice is well-known from the protests against the Castor transports. “The police are playing with time. This will restrict the possibilities for a law suit against the ban”, so the criticism of the protesters.
“All those who officially registered their demonstrations have been misled for months”, says the Infogroup Gipfesoli. For months the Association Department of “Kavala” has not responded to several registrations.
Of concern are above all the plans for the “Star March” which intends to have different thematical strands. This, along with several small demonstrations along the fence in Heiligendamm, were registered for the 7th of June. But also the announced blockades of the military airport Rostock Laage will be forbidden under the ban.
Summit protestors have announced their intention to lodge a formal complaint and begin legal proceedings as soon as possible. This drawn out bureaucratic process was certainly intended by the authorities. However, the right to protest in the vicinity of the adressed institution was confirmed by the Federal Constitutional Court several times in the run up to the events. The most famous case on this issue in Germany is the so- called “Brokdorf judgement” from the period of intense protests against nuclear energy in 1985.
In response to the repressive police measures, the alliance “Block G8” has announced to blockade the G8 summit by means of civil disobedience, notwithstanding the general ban.
Maps of the fence and the restricted area: http://gipfelsoli.org/Repression/Allgemeinverfuegung/1654.html