2007-02-23
Resistance to the G8 summit in Rostock in June 2007 is taking shape. Capitalism, the imperialist wars of the US - with the active help of the EU -, the Hartz IV unemployment reforms, tuition fees and more all form part of the anti-capitalist protests. The Action Plan for the period between June 2 and June 8 has been carved out. Now, we – or rather, you – have to turn ideas and plans into concrete proposals for action! Take part in the preparations! Get active!
The main planning meetings for the protests against the G8 summit were two “Action Conferences” that took place in Rostock in March and November 2006. See: www.heiligendamm2007.de. Several hundred people from Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Korea, Nigeria, Poland, Sweden, the USA and other countries gathered at each conference.
The participants were from all areas of the left. There were representatives from anarchist and communist groups, leftist unions, Attac, various NGO’s, environmental and ecological groups, socialist parties (Linke.PDS), anti-fascists, anti-racists and other groups from the social movements.
The conference resulted in the formation of Working Groups ('Arbeitsgruppen', or AGs in German), which are preparing specific actions separately. Some of the more important are the following:
1. AG Mass Demonstration – Saturday, June 2, 2007
2. AG G8, Agriculture and Genetic Technology – Sunday, June 3, 2007
3. AG Migration Action Day – Monday, June 4, 2007
4. AG Against Militarism, War and Torture – Tuesday, June 5, 2007
5. AG Mass Blockades – Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Additionally, there are various working groups that are dealing with practical themes, for example the AG Camp(s), AG Nazis/Extreme Right-Wing and the G8, AG Culture/Concerts, AG Alternative Summit.
1. AG Mass Demonstration – Saturday, June 2, 2007
The date for the mass demonstration in Rostock is Saturday, June 2, 2007. We want to create a broad international mobilization and to lay the necessary foundations for it. The mass demonstration should be an element of the summit mobilisation that brings together all participants across the political millues. It should express the multiplicity of the protest and of the resistance against the G8.
Therefore, there should be political and organisational unity in the demonstration, expressing mutual solidarity. On the one hand, this means that we want a demonstration in which everyone – including families with kids if possible – can participate and feel safe. On the other, it means that the demonstration will react together and in solidarity in response to any possible (police) attack against part of the demonstration.
Contact and further information: www.heiligendamm2007.de
2. AG G8, Agriculture and Genetic Technology – Sunday, June 3, 2007
The working group “G8, Agriculture and Genetic Technology,” expanded at the last conference in Rostock. Here are the planned actions:
· Beginning in March, an Info-Tour will head from Austria to Rostock. In the cities in which the tour stops, actions will take place in public spaces and information events will be held.
· On April 17, 2007, we will participate in the global day of action of “Via Campesina” about land rights.
· On May 22, 2007 we will organize a day of action around the topic of “Seeds and Biodiversity.”
· On Sunday, June 3, 2007, we will call for a day of action. We will mobilise in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern but are also calling for solidarity action in other localities and for an International Day of Action. Actions around the topic of genetic technology have already been planned. We want to harvest the fields of genetically modified produce around Rostock with as many people as possible.
· On Monday, June 4, 2007, actions in front of supermarkets are planned around the topic of groceries.
Contact and further information:
dissentnetzwerk.org/wiki/Arbeitsgruppe_G8_und_Landwirtschaft
www.dosto.de/gengruppe/g8_2007/index.php
www.gendreck-weg.de
g8_landwirtschaft@yahoo.de
3. AG Migration – Monday, June 4, 2007
The following actions are planned:
· Before the G8 summit:
- Numerous information tours with activists from Eastern Europe, Africa and the US
- Cooperation with EuroMayDay events (Hamburg, Berlin, Hanau and other places)
- Thematise the relationship between migration and precarity
- Caravan tour starts 1-2 weeks prior to the G8 summit and visits sites of resistance
• During the protest in Rostock
- Bloc particularly dedicated to migration at the large demonstration on June 2.
- Transnational networking meeting on June 3
- Migration day of action on Monday, June 4 – decentralized actions, demonstration and event in the evening
- Speakers and workshops at the alternative summit
Contact and further information: www.nolager.de
4. AG - Against Militarism, War and Torture – Tuesday, June 5, 2007
A central part is the blockade of the military airport of Rostock-Laage where the politicians, advisers and other participants in the G8 summit will arrive. In the summer of 2006 President Bush already traveled to Rostock through this military airport.
Further dates:
• May 31, 2007 – Arrival at the camp of the “Euro-March” and the “Caravan for the Rights of Immigrants”
• June 1, 2007 – Occupation of the "Bombodrom" land, in connection with the actions at Rostock-Laage military airport. (The “Bombodrom” refers to a very large military base in northern Germany between Berlin and Rostock, which is used by NATO for exercises. It is the largest area in Europe for military training with bombs and missiles.)
Contact and further information:
www.freieheide.de
www.g8andwar.de
www.freieheide-nb.de
g8undkrieg@so36.net
5. AG Blockades – Wed., June 6; Thursday, June 7; Friday, June 8 (beginning Wednesday)
The Working Group was prepared by the Block G8 Coalition.
Block G8, first of all, presented the basis for the mass blockades:
-Effective blockades
-Open for activists with no experience
-Based upon mass participation
-To be followed through in a transparent way
The concrete realisation of this is still in process within the Coalition. Independent of the concrete planning by Block G8, the fact remains: Lots of different blockades by different milieus will happen. Block G8 is just one amongst many. As a result, there is a necessity to co-ordinate and network different blockade concepts.
Contact and further information: www.block-g8.org
[http://www.g8-2007.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=30&Itemid=21]
