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2008-07-10

Global action day on July 12

[Media G8way | Gipfelsoli Infogroup]

Press Release July 12th 2008

  • “G8 are the problem, not the solution”
  • Solidarity with the prisoners

On Saturday July 12th, there will be global action day “J12” in solidarity with the anti-G8-resistance in Japan. Rallies are planned at Japanese embassies worldwide to strengthen the dissent against neoliberal politics.

Groups and individuals in Japan held conferences, camps, action days and demonstrations to express their dissent against neoliberal globalization which creates war, discrimination, poverty, surveillance and control. “Faced with heavy obstacles we came to Japan to protest against the G8”, says Mary Brookes, one of the international activists. “The G8 are the problem, not the solution”. Demonstrations were held in many other countries worldwide in support of protests in northern Japan.

International movements now call for solidarity for the 3 prisoners in Sapporo who were arrested at the demonstration on July 5th. Police shepherded demonstrators and forced them to walk in lines of only four people walking next to each other.
One of the people arrested is an alternative media activist from the Indymedia collective. They are accused of “violating traffic laws and the special orders for the demonstrations in Sapporo” as well as “obstructing police work”. On Tuesday a judge ordered the extension of their detention for ten more days, as supposed “protective custody”.

International activists who participated in the protests said that, “the Japanese criminal justice system allows them to hold people for 23 days without prosecution, and their families are harassed. Furthermore, the Japanese legal system imposes collective punishment; and organizers can be punished for the actions of others”.

The call-out posted on Indymedia Japan also mentions that homeless people in Sapporo and activists in Osaka were arrested: “We denounce the police repression against the sound demonstration and homeless activists, and demand the immediate release of everyone. On July 12th, simultaneous protest actions will take place at 3pm in Sapporo, Tokyo, Osaka, etc. against ‘police capitalism’”.

A forum of non-governmental organizations has also complained about the repression of dissent. Some 20 – 30 NGO members were not allowed to enter the country to participate in the protests. Others had their visas rejected. “It can be expected that the Japanese model will be applied in other parliamentary democracies”, says a declaration of the NGO “No Vox”.

“We call on people around the world to show solidarity”, ends the call of international activists. “Come next year to protest against the G8 in Italy!”.

Sources