2007-02-21

February 21st 2007: Heiligendamm

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[Gipfelsoli Infogruppe] Legal Update Heiligendamm February 9th 2007

06.07.2005
Global Action Day in Heiligendamm: About 20 Protestors are welcomed by dozens of policemen, a water-cannon truck and a police boat.

28.12.2005
People that walk around in Heiligendamm are stopped and asked for identification by police. One of them was visited afterwards at his home adress. Policemen question her parents.

01.01.2006
Since the beginning of 2006 the police have a station in the "dorf" of Heiligendamm, with a population of 200.

23.01.2006
Undercover police hide amongst the audience of a workshop from the Infotour in Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

26.01.2006
Undercover police attend Infotour workshop in Schwerin, videotapes participants as they leave.

02.02.2006
New police law for Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (the region/"bundesland") is announced.

22.03.2006
G8 Ministers of Interior meet in Wismar to plan G8.

25.03.2006
It became public that Ministery of Interior Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania formed a special police unit for preparing the summit. Its name is "BAO Kavala" (which somehow ryhmes with "riot" in German) and started with at least 100 policemen. Half a year later it came out that they are already working since January 1st 2006. Their leader, who calls himself "Polizei-Fuhrer", Knut Abramowski, participated at past summits such as the WTO in Hong Kong 2005 or G8 2005 in Gleneagles.

26.03.2006
In Rostock the first "Action Conference" took place. Media is reporting that violence protest was prepared.

24.04.2006
Anti G8-Group in Greifswald, Northern Germany, was observed by police with a van parked outside their meeting place. In the van were observation cameras.
01.05.2006
Nazis organized their traditional federal 1st of May march this year in Rostock. Both for police as well as left protestors the demonstrations are seen as a "warm up". Minster of Interior Timm defamed protestors in advance.

24.05.2006
In Hildesheim an Infotour workshop was visited by civil police. They asked to see specific organizers and had to be forced to leave.

10.06.2006
A group of 7 young people was searched by police in Heiligendamm.

15.06.2006
At a festival in Lindau, in the Southern German region of Bavaria, police look around the infotable and ask for one concrete person.

27.06.2006
New police law for Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania decided in the parliament. It makes it more easy for police to make passport-controls, video surveillance, DNA analysis, etc.

01.07.2006
Knut Abramowski, head of "Kavala", writes a welcoming note for George Bush that will visit Stralsund (near Rostock).

01.07.2006
Berlin Verfassungsschutz ("Berlin Office for the Protection of the Constitution") places at least 4 informers in the Berlin Socialforum. 3 of them were involved in G8 preparations.

11.07.2006
Infotour audience in Turin, Italy, is observed by civil police. Activists and their car are controlled later.

21.07.2006
At a festival in Dorfen (Bavaria) police seized some anti g8-materials.

04.08.2006
Meanwhile the "CampInski", a preparation camp against the G8, police announce "security level 4" for Heiligendamm and its surroundings. This allows them to stop and check people without suspicion. Heiligendamm is 35 kilometres away from "CampInski".

11.08.2006
After an action of collectivly swimming by hundreds of people in Heiligendamm police attacks returming activists in a train with pepperspray. Children in the train are nearby and affected by the spray.

21.09.2006
Knut Abramowski, chief of "Kavala", claims publically that their job is primarily to secure the meeting of the G8, secondarily to care about demonstrations. It becomes public that for the G8 air and sea are controlled by Army and Navy.

29.09.2006
The advertised bidding for the security fence is announced.

02.10.2006
"Kavala" moves from Rostock to the police barracks in Waldeck. Waldeck is located 25 kilometres in the south of Rostock, directly at the motorway and close to the airport Laage.

04.10.2006
Official request for police forces from other federal states was announced.

01.11.2006
Police claims publically in their audiences and website that "damages" caused during the G8 have to be paid by those found responsible.

06.11.2006
After the elections, the German "Linkspartei/PDS" (Socialist Party) gave up their seat as Minister of Interior in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania to the CDU (Christian Democrats).

09.11.2006
Police release that the number of police in "Kavala" are raised from 100 to 126.

10.11.2006
Police film a demonstration of the anti-deportation "No Lager Network" in Rostock. When asked why they claim to make "operational reconnaissance". Police are legally only allowed to film if crimes are expected.

13.11.2006
A parlamentarian from "Linkspartei/PDS" made an official request to ask "Kavala" about their participation with secret services, also from other countries. Police say they will not answer that. They will not publish their operational concept.

14.11.2006
"Kavala" threatens that are not willing to tolerate any blockade during the G8 and that blockades will be evicted immediately.

22.11.2006
In Rostock the security conference SECON took place. It was a meeting of heads of police from G8 countries and Europol. Two topics were on the agenda: Evaluation of the world championship and the organization of security architecture against G8 protests. After the conference the chief of the Federal Criminal Police Office, Ziercke, said to the press that the G8 will face "security requirements as never seen before".

23.11.2006
Federal Criminal Police Office and police state that they had to face lots of activists from other countries that might be "violent". These protestors will be stopped before leaving to Heiligendamm. Also Islamistic terrorists "might be interested". Security forces are "very concerned". For the first time it was announced that also the sea in Heiligendamm will get a fence of 12 kilometres length.

08.12.2006
Company MZS from Bargeshagen, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, gets the bid and starts to build the fence.

17.12.2006
It became public that Office for the Protection of the Constitution tried to hire an informant in Frankfurt/ Oder. Beside other incentives money was offered by an undercover policeman to participate and then give information from the Dissent!-meeting in Osnabruck.

05.01.2007
2 policemen officially took part at the meeting of "G8 and war" near the Bombodrom (military bombing range between Berlin and Rostock). Before being kicked out, "Thomas" and "Steffi" declared that they only wanted to help to avoid having people commit crimes.

06.01.2007
Around the meeting to plan migrant actions for the G8 several racist stops and ID checks happened. Police intimidate participants.

09.01.2007
Vice Admiral Kühn from german Navy announces "civil-military-collaboration" for the G8.

11.01.2007
Minsiter of Interior of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Caffier (CDU), raises the amount of police for the summit from 12.000 to 16.000.

11.01.2007
The main responsibility for security will be taken by the "Innenministerkonferenz" (Conference of federal ministerials of Interior). Their new chairman, Körting (SPD), states that the threat at G8 is bigger than at the world soccer championship.

12.01.2007
Police raided Köpi squat in Berlin for reasons of licence violation. They are very interested in Anti G8-material.

12.01.2007
Local Newspaper reports that german Army is preparing for G8. In March there will start common trainings with Army, Police, Fire Brigades and Medics.

13.01.2007
Federal Minister of Interior, Schäuble (CDU), gives public warnings concerning anti-G8 "left extremist terror groups", claiming they are networking with groups such as ETA in Spain, and FARC in Colombia, without giving any proof.

17.01.2007
Before the NATO conference in Munich (Bavaria) police raided 11 locations to confiscate a flyer against NATO- and G8-summit. 9 people were taken to the police station, 12 computers were seized.

23.01.2007
A Youth Centre in Erlangen (Bavaria) was searched for flyers against NATO- and G8-summit.

25.01.2007
Activists showed up at the construction site of the fence in Heiligendamm to give an interview to Deutsche Welle Radio. They were forced by police to show their identity cards. One who asked for the reason of the ID check had his arm heavily pushed to his back, and was pressed towards the fence.

29.01.2007
Chief of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution Fromm intentionally misinterprets militant attacks as violent against people, although all militant attacks have been against private property.

03.02.2007
German Office for the Protection of the Constitution publishes a text about berlin groups preparing against G8. They are blamed as "left-extremists" that want to change the system. Most quotes were taken from a dissent!-brochure.

05.02.2007
Local newspaper reports that owners of camping sites near Heiligendamm work together with the Ministery of Interior.

09.02.2007
Local newspaper reports that police units are searching abandonned companies for setting up flexible, mobile prison cages. These are known from anti-nuclear protests.

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Heiligendamm Prepares for the G8 Summit
Residents of sleepy seaside resort of Heiligendamm brace themselves for the G8 - the influx of world leaders, massive security and protestors, and local reactions are mixed
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is taking her turn as G8 president this year and will host the annual summit of leaders from the industrialized world between June 6 and 8 at the tiny seaside resort of Heiligendamm, located on Germany's Baltic Sea coast. Reactions to the arrival of world leaders, police, journalists and protesters have been mixed in Heiligendamm and the nearby town of Bad Doberan.
Free advertising to the world
Hartmut Polzin, the mayor of Bad Doberan, said he is thrilled at the chance to show his town to the world.
"The worldwide media attention will make this a marketing campaign which we could never afford if we had to pay for it," he said, rattling off a list of reasons tourists should visit Bad Doberan. He's also excited about the influx of funds he said he hopes the summit will bring to a region that has struggled economically since reunification.
"The G8 summit has already had positive effects on construction here," he said. "Our improved infrastructure will be of long-term benefit to the regional economy. It would normally have taken many more years to complete. But the G8-summit has accelerated the process."
Seaside grandeur
The neighboring village of Heiligendamm is the oldest German seaside resort. Composed of white classical buildings along the promenade, it was an elegant meeting place for high society until the 1930's. The Russian tsar and his family, composer Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, poet Rainer Maria Rilke, Queen Luise of Prussia, and even dictators Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini used to be regular guests.
Kempinski hotel director Torsten Dressler is rolling out the red carpet and looking forward to demonstrating that the Grand Hotel Heiligendamm is the ideal venue for meetings with high prominence where international protocol and personal attention are of the utmost importance.
"People are characterized by their individuality, their like and dislikes," he said. "One drinks a certain tea, the other a special wine. And a third doesn't like a certain type of flower. As hoteliers, we need to find out who likes what. We want to be super hosts."
To be a super media host, Fundus Investment Group and Kempinski Hotels tore down a classical villa and a former holiday residence of the Russian tsars to make room for a media center.
No way in for peaceful demo
There's also the question of other visitors. In recent weeks, German politicians have expressly welcomed peaceful demonstrators to the G8 summit. But Heiligendamm was selected to host the summit because of its isolated location and limited access to the Grand Hotel.
Nevertheless, the federal government expects huge international protests to converge on the summit, just as they did in St Petersburg and Gleneagles in recent years.
The hotel privatization of public roads and plans to demolish further classicist villas along the beach have caused loud protest in the local community, according to 70-year-old Marianne Prüter, who has lived in Heiligendamm since 1947.
"They're excellent at building fences!" she said, pointing out a high-security fence currently being built around the hotel. The barrier is 14 kilometers long (8.7 miles) and is planned to cost some 12.4 million euros ($16.3 million) to erect.
Counting the cost
This summer about 10,000 police officers from across Germany will be tasked with turning away unauthorized visitors from this fence. The air force, navy and special forces will also be providing their services to ensure the conference's security.
Birgit Schwebs, deputy leader of the Left Party in Mecklenburg-Western Pommerania's state parliament pointed to the expenses.
"The fact is, Mecklenburg is paying 13 million euros for the fence alone," she said. "The current official estimate is that our G8 summit in Heiligendamm will cost a round 92 million euros just for security."
Schwebs added that the federal government had promised to reimburse the state with 24 million euros, leaving the region with the rest of the tab.
The conference's costs are one of the main reasons locals have expressed their unhappiness with having world leaders converge on their towns.
"At a time when unemployment in Mecklenburg is the highest in the country and there's no money for social welfare they're wasting millions," Prüter said. "The waste of public money bugs me."
Focus on global growth
"Growth and Responsibility" will be the summit's main focus. Rosa Klemper said the irony of growth being focus in one of Germany's least industrialized and poorest regions isn't lost on her. She said she'll be protesting for growth in the state hosting the leaders.
"The Mecklenburg population hasn't yet realized that the summit is an opportunity to show the world that Germany itself is still imbalanced between the east and the west," she said.

[http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2346773,00.html]

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Blockade the G8 - Stop the Wars!
Call to Action: June 5th, 2007, at Rostock-Laage Airport (Germany)

Against Militarism, War and Torture
The Rostock-Laage Airport is part of the infrastructure of the G8 Summit Conference and the militaristic policies of the G8 governments. Here the next war is being prepared with Eurofighter military jets. From here the military jets will soon fly to the "Bombodrom," and here is where the participants in the G8 conference plan to fly in. But we, too, will be here in large numbers, because they can't land here with their war policies. We will express our opposition to war and to the G8 through many forms of protest and active resistance.
Behind many wars being waged every day in places all over the world are the G8 governments. Germany is a direct participant in ten wars worldwide and supports other wars by, for example, providing supplies or intelligence. Rostock-Laage Airport is part of the militaristic policy of the G8 governments and their Summit Conference in Heiligendamm.
The participants in the Summit Conference represent the world's eight mightiest governments, which help create the problems -- for which they then decide upon the so-called solutions. They speak of "global governance" and of "humanitarian intervention", of "strengthening civil society" and of "steps to peace", but in reality they mercilessly use "might makes right" methods to make a world order serving the continuation of their own power and their capitalistic profits - as can be seen today in Afghanistan and Iraq. But the logic of war does not begin when the bombs fall and the shooting starts. Usually suppression and exploitation can be maintained without using weapons. It is sufficient to threaten exclusion from world trade or cuts in "development aid." A worldwide network of military bases adds to the perceived threat. In neo-colonial and imperial systems of dependency, there are few choices: often, to the national elites, it seems better to open up their countries to foreign investors and to let the oil wells flow - even to the disadvantage of their own people - rather than to risk being considered a member of "the axis of evil."
All over the globe, in the North and in the South, militarization begins in everyday life. Everyday war in the South is neo-conservative restructuring by the IMF and the World Bank; in the North, it is gradual militarization of the domestic policy: camera surveillance of inner cities coupled with comprehensive collection of private data; military surveillance from the air, as during the World Soccer Championship; militaristic guarding of borders against would-be immigrants; the calculated promotion of culturally manipulated images of "the enemy" - all this is promoted as being in the interest of "our security." The real sources of the conflicts - having to do with injustices, with a worldwide imbalance of power, with attempted cultural domination - are never addressed. While the apparently simple solution of "the war against terror" was supposed to provide security in the North, instead it produces terror and insecurity, whether in Iraq or in the London subway.
The Bundeswehr (the German Military) is taking advantage of the growing economic insecurity, poverty, and the pressures on the unemployed. Working together with employment agencies, the Bundeswehr ever more aggressively advertises the benefits of the soldier's "job." Precisely those who are excluded from our economic system are the ones designated to enforce the same economic relations globally.
Militarization and war (re)produce patriarchal gender relations in both the " allied countries" and the "enemy countries." The supposedly "male" virtues are promoted by military institutions. Sexist exploitation, violence and (forced) prostitution escalate wherever the Military goes, on so-called "peace missions," in which they aggressively intervene in people's everyday lives. The self-chosen "fighters for freedom and democracy" also create lawless places all over the world in the form of prison camps, torture prisons, and refugee camps. The permanent state of war in "the era of terrorism" creates the means for abolishing ever more democratic rights. The threat of torture and its increasingly open use has the goal of intimidating the opposition, creating a feeling of powerlessness, and undermining all resistance. The state of emergency becomes normal.
But what we most have to fear are the strategies for securing global power and profit opportunities. This is what the G8 politicians in Heiligendamm and elsewhere want to be able to discuss behind security fences.
Occupy the Bombodrom - Stop the War Games!
War requires practice. This is to take place, as the Military wishes, in the so-called Bombodrom in the Kyritz-Ruppin Meadows near Wittstock. Supposedly this is the only place spacious enough for sophisticated joint surface-to-air war games, practicing dropping nuclear bombs, and test-firing remote-controlled rockets. Since 1992, the initiative FREIe HEIDe ("Free the Meadows") has been organizing regional resistance. On June 1st, 2007, there will be a Bombodrom action there, as part of the anti-G8 Action Days. The place to be used in war games will be occupied and reclaimed for peaceful purposes.
Beginning on May 31st, caravans and marches from all over Europe will arrive in the Kyritz-Wittstock Meadows to launch the beginning of the Action Days against the G8 policies.
On June 5th, we will be at the Rostock-Laage Airport in large numbers, with a multiplicity of actions, to demonstrate our opposition to the G8 Summit Conference, to militarization and war policies, and to capitalistic, patriarchal, and racist social relations.
We do not want these self-appointed rulers of the world here or anywhere else.
At this G-8 Summit Conference, they shall neither have a secluded meeting, nor will they be able to peacefully land with their planes here. Ya Basta! We've had it!
The Rostock-Laage Airport
The 2006 White Book of the Bundeswehr (the German Military) clearly sets forth what has been evident for a long time: the Bundeswehr has been thoroughly transformed from an army of soldiers mainly devoted to defense into a force for intervention - that is to say, aggression.
In the insignificant-looking Rostock-Laage Airport, a key military logistical center is in the making. The civilian use of this airport began in 1992 via a treaty with the Bundeswehr, which had taken over this military air base from the East German air force. This type of civilian use of a military air base is unique in Germany. The civilian firm that manages the airport even advertises that it has higher than usual security standards in this era of "the global threat of terrorism." Rostock-Laage Airport is the "home base" of the Eurofighter military jets, which are armed with the medium-range AMRAAM rockets: this is in fact the only air facility in Germany which trains Eurofighter pilots. Also stationed here is the fighter squadron 73 "Steinhoff," since 1994 the Bundeswehr's contribution to the NATO Response Force (NRF) and thus participating in international attacks and wars. Johannes Steinhoff (1913-1994) was a highly decorated fighter-pilot in the Nazi Luftwaffe (Air Force) and later played a prominent leading role in building up West Germany's Luftwaffe as well as the air forces of NATO.
Rostock-Laage Airport Grounds
are near the Autobahn junction of A20 (Hamburg-Sczecin) and A19 (Berlin-Rostock). They encompass an area 5 kilometers long (east-west) and 3 kilometers wide (north-south). The grounds are situated between A19 and Bundesstrasse (Federal Route) 103. The military part of the airport is to the north; the small civilian air terminal is to the south.
In August, 2006, the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) received here a high-tech mobile fighting facility, the so-called DCRC (Deployable Control & Reporting Center). Used for the military surveillance of the air space and for "tactical strike guidance," it was developed by DaimlerChrysler/EADS and the Frequentis firm in Vienna. With this equipment, the Luftwaffe is for the first time able to support and guide air attacks outside the borders of Germany. Rostock-Laage Airport thus is of great importance in the war plans of the Bundeswehr (the German Military) and of NATO.

[http://dissentnetzwerk.org/node/751]

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Hamburg 28th May 2007
GATE TO GLOBAL RESISTANCE

International Demonstration against the ASEM - Foreign Ministers Conference of EU and Asian states as an approach to the G8 summit

Just before the G8 summit the largest international conference under Germany's EU-Presidency will take place in Hamburg on the 28 /29 May. 1500 high ranking delegates and the Foreign Ministers of all EU and ASEAN members and other Asian states will hold that conference to push economic cooperation forward.

Security Forces declared that they are expecting massive protest and announced the largest security forces deployment in the cities history. A security cordon will be erected in the city centre in order to protect the delegates.

Undogmatic radical left groups are mobilizing for an international demonstration at 28th of May 2007, which is to be understood as a run up to the protest activities against the G8 summit. It's directed against the EU as one of the main actors of global exploitation.

The Demonstration is strongly connected with the Days of Action and the Convergence Centre, which is to be the point of contact and communication for all international activists. Different caravans are expected in Hamburg for that time.

We call on everyone to take part and to join the demonstration and to obstruct the Hamburg summit.

More information material and a detailed leaflet will follow.

public group

[Contact: summitblock@nadir.org]

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2nd G8 2007 UK Gathering! 25th March, Reading....
DISSENT! NETWORK OF RESISTANCE AGAINST THE G8....

>> 2nd G8 2007 UK-Mobilisation Meeting!
>> SUNDAY 25TH MARCH, 10AM - 5PM
>> @ Rising Sun Arts Centre, 30 Silver Street, Reading, Berks, RG1 2ST

From 6-8 June 2007, the G8 Summit - the meeting of the heads of state and government of the USA, Canada, Japan, Great Britain, France, Italy, Germany and Russia - are planning on meeting in Germany.

But we're gonna shut em down......

Following on from a meeting in Nottingham in January, we will hold a 2nd meeting to discuss the UK G8 Mobilisation for 2007. This will be hosted in Reading, at the Rising Sun Arts Centre on March 25th. The venue is 10 minutes walk from the train station and a map can be found at: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=471919&y=172790&z=1&sv=silver+street&st=6&tl=Silver+Street,+Reading,+RG1&searchp=newsearch.srf&mapp=newmap.srf

Parking in Reading is crap - in fact driving in Reading is crap - so try to come by bus or train! But if you have to drive, get in touch and we'll point you in the right direction: rgacollective(AT)hotmail.co.uk

Limited accommodation is provided for those who wish to travel from afar. In particular, those wishing to travel to the venue on Saturday 24th to have informal pre-meetings. PLEASE email if you need accomodation: rgacollective(AT)hotmail.co.uk

The mobilisation is committed to bottom up, decentralised organising. Activists from the mobilisation have toured internationally to involve as many people as possible. The tours arose from an international gathering for the mobilisation, called Campinski, near the German G8 summit venue last summer. The UK leg of the tour in October saw activists from the UK 2005 mobilisation, Russian 2006 mobilisation and Germany 2007 mobilisation working together. The tour visited the Anarchist Bookfair in London, Brighton, Reading, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool Leeds, Birmingham and Cardiff.

PLEASE send agenda items to dissentprocess(AT)yahoo.co.uk

Reports from the last gathering can be found at:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/01/361115.html
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/01/361014.html

Further information on the international mobilisation so far can be found at: http://www.dissent.org.uk

http://dissentnetzwerk.org/node/49 (English language German website)
http://www.wombles.org.uk/actions/g8/g82007

And please check out the venue's website at: http://www.risingsun-artscentre.co.uk

CHEERS!
LETS SHUT EM DOWN!

[http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/02/362865.html]

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G8 umzingeln und versenken! - "1. intergalaktischen CC-Rostock-Treffen" from 05/25/07 to 06/02/07 in Rostock

This project needs to be well prepared, a Convergence Center could be the right place for that. People can meet and network here long time before the summit, Seminaries and practical workshops will take place and can be offered by different groups, actual informations can be found at the infopoint, something to eat at 'vokü' (people's action food), places to sleep, pc's with internet connection, etc.
One of these CC's should be organised from 05/25/07 to 06/02/07 in Rostock close to the places of action, it needs many people who want to play a part in preparing this!
So we invite all of you to the "first intergalactical CC-Rostock meeting" in Rostock from 10th to 11th of march.
The exact location will be provided peronally, places to sleep will be organised.
We would be very interested in exchange of international experiences in organsing convergence centers or spaces or...
* Please spread this invitation to other local groups!
* Support and solidarity is colorfull!!
* Requests and informations at: cc-rostock(at)riseup.net
Proposals for the agenda:
* 1) publicity: What kind of public appearance/accessibility? Concepts for
press, opening event, etc.
* 2) Cooperation with whom?
* 3) How to integrate the international expectations and experiences?
* 4) Infrastructure: pc's, telephone, water, electricity, etc.
* 5) workshops (like first aid, repression and antirepression, etc.)
* 6) Coordination with infopoints and convergence centers in berlin and
hamburg
* 7) Materials
* 8) Transport
* 9) Places
* ...

[http://dissentnetzwerk.org/node/872]