Network Against the G8 English info bulletin #2

This bulletin is prepared by some members of the Moscow group of Network Against G8 (SPB8). It is the result of common discussions at the inter-regional meeting of May 28th, 2006 between St. Petersburg group of Network Against G8, St. Petersburg League of Anarchists, Punk Revival, FrontAIDS, Indymedia, Indyvideo, Legal-team, Medical group, AFA St. Petersburg and individual activists, but this bulletin does not necessarily reflect the opinions of all members of the network. We will publish new issues as soon as there is new info to tell. Please distribute this widely!

Legal support

Our legal team will be supported not by anarchists alone, but also by efforts of Youth Human Rights Movement (MPD) and ecological organization "Groza" (Thunderstorm). A flat will be rented in St. Petersburg for the legal group, and there will be a contact telephone number in time for the events. 6 activists have already promised to volunteer, but a lawyer is also sought in order to enable easier access to the arrested. Booklets on legal and practical information are prepared (you may read electronic English versions at SPB8 website and at www.rtc.revolt.org). During June, there will be legal trainings for activists on legal questions in St. Petersburg and Moscow.

Network Against G8 info-point in St, Petersburg

There will be an info-point by Network Against G8 activists in Kirov stadium, where the Russian Social Forum will take place. Kirov stadium is located in metro station "Krestovskiy Ostrov"; it is about 10 minutes by feet through a park. It is easy to find, but we will publish a map later on. In Kirov stadium, you should find a room, tent or stand with text "NAG8". The stadium will be open for people from 12th to 16th of July. Whoever wants to come earlier should contact organizers in time. We hope that we will also manage to set up info-points that will be active earlier.

Accommodation during summit

There are a number of alternatives for accommodation during the summit.

1) Kirov stadium - if you want to stay there, bring your tents, mattresses and sleeping bags. Russian Social Forum (RSF) has promised some tents, but there is nothing we may say about their quantity and quality. Ascetics may live without tents, as in the Stadium there are corridors under tribunes, where one is protected from rain. The organizational committee of RSF has promised to organize field kitchens for affordable food in the Stadium, as well as a list of cafes nearby. The Stadium has electricity, toilets and showers.

2) St. Petersburg group of Network Against G8 has an alternative camping site in the city area with a limited amount of spaces. You should contact this group if you are interested in this option.

3) You may also set up your own camp beyond city limits, as a vast majority of the forests have not been enclosed yet and thus are public land where you have a right to stay with certain conditions. Locals may help you in setting up such a camp in case Network Against G8 site is full or you have some other reasons to have your own camp.

4) Local activists in St. Petersburg are prepared to help if you want to book a hotel, hostel or rent a flat for a few days (latter option is often cheaper than hotels for a bigger group of people). The cheapest rooms in hotels cost 350-600 rubles (10-19 euros) for a night, many places demand that you pay in prior. We may also provide a list of hotels, write to contact addresses at the end of this bulletin.

Media-space

It is quite likely, that inside the Stadium there will be a media space, accessible for everyone. But number of computers and access to internet and even telephone are still a question. There are other media-center projects, but these are unlikely to be open for everybody. The organizational committee of Social Forum in St. Petersburg promises to provide information about cheap internet cafes close to the Stadium and around the city, as well as other alternatives for people who want to do media.

General demonstration in St. Petersburg

A general demonstration of "opposition" is planned to take place 15th of July. Route of demonstration is still under discussion (there are two alternatives - long march of 8 kilometers and short march of 3 kilometers). It will finish at a square next to cruiser Aurora. This is as close as it will be possible to legally approach the city center, which according to authorities will be closed from demonstrations.

In this demonstration, political parties (Communist Party of Russian Federation KPRF, Russian Workers Communist Party, Yabloko party) and "oppositional" political movements (such Union of Coordinatory Councils and various Komsomol organizations) are expected to take part. The organizing committee of the Russian Social Forum excluded participation of far-right organizations and the National Bolshevik Party, but it is possible that they may appear, as there are nationalists in the St. Petersburg part of the Russian Social Forum organization, and KPRF was lately open to cooperation with far-right Movement Against Illegal Immigration (DPNI).

Anarchists are splintered on the question of participation in this demonstration; one proposal is to organize an anarchist bloc which would strikingly differ from all the rest.

Outreach

It has been proposed that stickers should be the major way of outreaching to the public, as they are safer than putting up posters or painting with stencils. However one poster is currently being printed and others are currently being made. There are few alternatives for stickers. Besides these, a special issue of the journal "Avtonom" is currently being prepared, as well as a booklet of guidelines for activists. Currently the main website is www.spb8.net. Site nog8.ru is currently not developed, but you may find half of the Russian translation of the book "We are everywhere" there.

Street medics

A street medic group has organized a number of meetings and trainings for activists, and also prepared a text of guidelines for giving first aid. It is planned that trainings will continue.

Libertarian forum in Moscow, 8th-12th of July

A preliminary program for the Libertarian Forum is ready, currently we expect some 70 activists from various regions of Russia to take part, 30-50 from Moscow and few dozen foreigners. Both forum premises and accommodations will be in the Moscow region close to Moscow. Take sleeping bags and mattresses with you. We may also book hotels, cheapest places are 600 rubles (24$) per night. Food not Bombs has promised to feed the conference; we will also prepare a list of affordable cafes. There will not be a fixed price for participation, we suggest that people will contribute to costs of the event according to their capacities. Unless you have an agreement with organizers to pick you up from somewhere, you should come to office of Movement for Human Rights (Dvizhenie za Prava Cheloveka), located at Maliy Kislovskiy pereulok, dom (house) 7, stroenie (building) 1, metro station Arbatskaya. A map to find the location will be available later on. From here, you will be directed to premises of the forum and accommodations. We will wait you here 7th and 8th of July from noon to 8 PM. In case you are coming earlier, contact organizers by e-mail or by phone. 12th of July we have planned a press-conference of participants in the conference - main theme will be a critique against energy policies of G8 summit and the planned G8 renaissance of atomic energy. We are discussing an alternative to travel collectively to St. Petersburg with a rented bus. Contacts: moscow_protiv_g8@riseup.net.

Russian Social Forum in St. Petersburg 13th-15th of July

27th of May there was a meeting of the organizational committee of the Russian Social Forum, which witnessed a number of disagreements among the organizers on important questions, such as on cooperation with parties and nationalists. The St. Petersburg part of the organizational committee includes several coalitions, which include parties and nationalist activists, and many "leftists" may not imagine their activities outside party coalition. Thus a compromise decision was made, whereby the Russian Social Forum will take place without political parties, and the demonstration on July 15th will happen together with political parties. Nationalist organizations will be excluded from both the forum and the demonstration, but it is possible that some of them will show up anyway as individuals. The Russian Social Forum will include at least sections on housing, energy, health care and civil rights, and one is free to propose additional themes. One may find more information about Russian Social Forum from http://ikd.ru/Campaign/RSF

Calendar of events

8th - 12th of July

Libertarian Forum in Moscow

13-15th of July 2006

Russian Social Forum in St. Petersburg. It will take place in Kirov stadium close to metro station "Krestovskiy Ostrov". In forum there will be an alternative space.
14th of July 2006 - Global Day of Action
In many cities of the world there will be protests against neo-liberal politics of the G8. Those who may not come to St. Petersburg, may organize solidarity actions in their cities and villages.

15th - 17th of July Summit of G8 in St. Petersburg
15th of July - International Day of Direct Action against Climate Change and the G8. Rise up against G8 policies, target fossil fuel industries in your community and bioregion! Visit the website of Reclaim the Commons -- www.rtc.revolt.org -- for the Call to Action in English, Russian, Spanish and other languages.
15th of July
Common demonstration of left and opposition against politics of the G8 in St. Petersburg. March will end to a square in front of cruiser Aurora.
www.spb8.net
g8-2006.plentyfact.net
ru.indymedia.org
indyvideo.ru
www.avtonom.org
www.nog8.ru
www.svitnetovar.info
shutthemdown.org
www.reclaimthecommons.net
www.rtc.revolt.org

Contacts:
St. Petersburg group of Network Against G8: nag8spb@mail.ru
Accommodation for anti-authoritarians in St. Petersburg:
r-17@admiral.ru,
g0ren@mail.ru, kushiyaan@yandex.ru
Legal group: piter.legal@yahoo.com
Street medics: make_change@riseup.net
Moscow group of Network Against G8 and Libertarian Forum:
moscow_protiv_g8@riseup.net, +7-906-796-88-29
FrontAIDS: frontaids@yandex.ru