2007-03-13
On June 6 2007, we want to – and will – massively and effectively blockade the opening of the G8 Summit, the meeting of the heads of government of the world’s 8 most powerful states, in Heiligendamm, near Rostock in Germany.
With blockades of civil disobedience in which thousands of people from different political, social and cultural backgrounds can participate, we will express a unmistakable “NO!” against the G8. A radical “NO!” which cannot be ignored. A public, offensive and practical expression of the lack of legitimacy of the G8 and their policies of neoliberal, globalised capitalism; of wars; of social and racist exclusion; and of environmental destruction. We will actively disrupt the G8, occupying and blockading the streets required by the diplomats, translators and supply vehicles to reach Heiligendamm. We want to practically and effectively stop the Summit and cut it off from its infrastructure.
The central expression of our blockade will be to show that thousands of highly diverse people have decided, together, to personally – and with their bodies – blockade the Summit. Many will announce their participation in the blockade publicly, showing their names and faces. Regardless of how and where we arrive at the camps and on the streets around Heiligendamm, we have a common project: One mass blockade with diverse cultural articulations. Those not organised in groups – and without blockading experience – will also be able to participate and receive the solidarity of others. There will be no limits to our creativity. We see the connection between the functionality and political articulation of the mass blockade as important. The ‘Überflüssigen’ (i.e. ‘The Superfluous’ – a direct action group who have been visible in many of the social protests in Germany over the past few years) with their red sweatshirts and white face-masks have already announced their intended presence, rebel clowns will also be there, as will samba drummers. Colourful does not mean black, but black belongs to colourful.
We come from the environmental and anti-nuclear movement; the counter-globalisation networks and the radical left; from non-violent action groups and antifascist milieu; from political party and trade union youth organisations and church groups. We want to bring our diverse blockading experience at anti-nuclear waste (CASTOR) transports, anti-war actions, nazi demonstrations and previous summit protests together in Heiligendamm – as a powerful and determined mass action with thousands of people and the methods of civil disobedience.
Our objective is to blockade. Therefore, we will overcome the police’s barriers; pushing them out of the way, going around them, or cannily flowing through them. We will not allow ourselves to be stopped, distracted, or to get embroiled in the police’s possible strategy of escalation. Our objective is to reach our blockading destinations. Our protection is our concept of diversity, mass participation and desired (media and other) publicity. We need sleeping bags and everything required for 24 hours on the blockades. There are lots of people who will simply sit down and blockade the street with their bodies. In addition, there are people who will remain standing, linking arms in chains and using foam and balloons to protect their bodies. Some will push back against those attempting an eviction, to make it more difficult for them. All these different blockade forms will show solidarity with each other and will not endanger one another. We will remain together and hold our common position. Through the means of civil disobedience, we will resist by showing solidarity. We do not want to injure anyone. We will effectively and enduringly blockade the Summit.
GET INVOLVED WITH ‘BLOCK G8’
Register in your media and/or in a ‘Declaration of Intent’ that you support the ‘Block G8’ campaign. Produce publicity for ‘Block G8’, organise events and collect supporters.
Build blockade groups locally and prepare for the Summit. Be creative and organise action trainings. The better prepared, the more effective the blockade.
If you are not sure if you will find the time to take part in the blockades of the G8 Summit, declare your solidarity with the actions of the ‘Block G8’ campaign and support us with a donation.
The ‘Block G8’ campaign is one of many concepts for blockading the G8 which we support in their different action forms in different locations around Heiligendamm. We will, therefore, share responsibility for co-ordinating the overall choreography of blockading activities.
www.block-g8.org
info@block-g8.org
THE CALL
BLOCK G8
MOVE. BLOCK. STAY.
At the beginning of June 2007, the heads of state and government of the eight largest economic powers will come together for the G8 Summit in Heiligendamm near Rostock.As an act of civil disobedience, we will blockade this Summit.
Our reason: The politics of the G8 stand for neoliberal, globalised capitalism, which dramatically increases the gap between the rich and poor worldwide. With the ""Block G8" campaign, we say ""No!"" and reject the legitimacy of the G8!
Different initiatives and movements are calling for resistance to the Summit. People from around the globe will articulate their protest through a diverse range of actions. The ""Block G8" campaign is one part of this. Take part in the protest actions and take a stand against the politics of the G8!
RESISTANCE AGAINST THE G8 – FOR A GLOBALISATION FROM BELOW
In June 2007, the voice of the powerful will not be the only one to be heard: Tens of thousands of people from around the globe will gather to demonstrate against the G8 and to take action together. Almost every milieu of the globalisation-critical movement have been called upon to protest. The other world will make its voice loud and clear and stand up for a globalisation from below: for equal rights; for political and cultural rights for all human-beings; for the right to global freedom of movement; for the responsible use of natural resources worldwide; for the guaranteeing of public spaces and goods; and for global social justice.
MASS AND LASTING BLOCKADES – WE’VE COME, AND WE’RE HERE TO STAY!
The ""Block G8"" campaign are organising blockades as an action of civil disobedience in which thousands of people from different political, social and cultural backgrounds can take part. Together, through these actions, we articulate a clear ""No!"" towards the G8. In doing so, however, we will not only demonstrate; we will actively block the G8 and the access roads to the conference centre over which the staff of diplomats, translators and service providers need to pass in order to get to Heiligendamm. We will not leave these access roads voluntarily, because our action is not intended to remain symbolic. We want to actually and effectively block the G8 Summit and cut it off from its infrastructure: We’ve come, and we’re here to stay!
During the actions, we want to create a situation which is transparent for all the blockaders and in which the participants in the action show solidarity by taking care and supporting each other. Everybody needs to take responsibility for the success of powerful and decided blockades and mutually respect the borders and the protest cultures of all the participants. Potential police brutality, for example during the eviction of a blockade, has to be resisted, together, by showing solidarity and using the methods of civil disobedience.
TOGETHER AGAINST THE G8 SUMMIT
Behind the concept of the mass blockades there are groups, organisations and individuals belonging to: the environmental and anti-nuclear movement; the globalisation-critical networks and the radical left; from non-violent action and autonomous antifascist groups; from the youth-wing of political parties and trade unions, as well as church groups. We bring diverse blockade experiences with us: from the anti-nuclear waste (CASTOR) transports in the Wendland (in North Germany), from the successful blockades of neo-nazi marches in Berlin, Kiel and Leipzig, from the ""Resist" campaign against the Iraq war, and from the protests against previous G8 summits.
The “Block G8” campaign understands itself as a part of a broad societal resistance against the G8. The mass blockades, therefore, will fit in with the other actions and demonstrations and be agreed upon with other groups and initiatives. Our actions build on the summit protests of previous years. In 1999 at the protests against the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Seattle it was possible, for the first time, through mass blockades and other actions, to delay the conference’s opening ceremony for hours — an event which resonated throughout the world and marked the arrival of the globalisation-critical movement. With the actions in Seattle, the first cracks in the project of neoliberal globalisation were shown. Let’s enlarge these cracks together in Heiligendamm!
EVERYONE CAN TAKE PART! THERE ARE DIFFERENT POSSIBILITIES:
Declare your participation in the ""Block G8" campaign. Already, ahead of the Summit, we want to generate pressure against the G8 through thousands of declarations of intent. We want thousands of people to declare, as far as possible, that they will take part in the blockades in June 2007. State your solidarity. If you already know that you cannot go to Heiligendamm, express your solidarity with the blockaders by signing this declaration of solidarity. Form local groups and prepare, together, for blockades in Heiligendamm. The success of the blockades depend, amongst other things, on well-prepared groups and individuals. We offer trainings for action groups. Get in touch. Organise events near you. We will happily come and explain about the G8, to report on the idea behind the ""Block G8" campaign, to give an impression of the state of preparations and the possibility for taking part in actions.
MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT: WWW.BLOCK-G8.ORG
THE G8 SUMMITS ARE A SYMBOL. They serve those in government as a demonstration of their power. Their news reports: There is no alternative to the new world order. With our action, we want to clearly reject the apparent lack of alternatives.
AT THE G8 SUMMIT, POLITICS ARE CONCRETELY MADE AND COORDINATED; a politics in which the interests of big business and financial investors are central. Around the globe, the dramatic division between the rich and the poor is worsened; accompanied by the widespread dismantling of social and democratic rights. When the G8 talk about debt relief and aid programmes for the poor, they remain silent about the fact that hunger, poverty and indebtedness are the result of neoliberal, globalised capitalism. The politics of the G8 lead to the unabated destruction of the basic requirements for human life, secures the access of a few states to the majority of resources, and is ultimately imposed through wars.
THE G8 IS AN INSTITUTION WITHOUT LEGITIMACY. It is a Club of the governments of only eight states which arrogates to make decisions that affect the lived realities of people around the world. It is not about different policies being formulated at the G8 summits; far more it is about calling into question and rejecting the legitimacy of the G8 and its politics in general.
SUPPORT US WITH A DONATION
Preparing and seeing through blockades costs a lot of money: The printing of this flyer and other materials, action trainings, office costs, infrastructure during the actions and much more… Whether 5, 10, 25, 50 Euros or (gladly) more – every donation helps us to say, together with you, ""No!"" to the G8.
ACCOUNT FOR DONATIONS
Account Name: Block G8
Account No.: 400 870 0801
Sort Code (BLZ): 430 609 67
Bank Name: GLS Gemeinschaftsbank
THE “BLOCK G8” CAMPAIGN ARE:
CONTACT
Kampagne Block G8
Nernstweg 32
22765 Hamburg
Germany
info@block-g8.org
www.block-g8.org
