Brief summary of G8 police brutality: business as usual!
Here is a very brief summary -in pictures, videos and a few words- of the G8 events of late, beriddled as they have been by police brutality [videos below], agent provocateurs[1] (which in any decent journalism would have entirely overshadowed a few radicalised, state repressed groups’ retaliation for the violence commenced by the authorities) and the completely distorted “journalism” by the corporate press:
“ORDNUNG MUSS SEIN – “Merkelst” dir dass!”
The Art of Policing and Protesting…..
….and just to make sure that you know: the police will hit anyone – I repeat anyone:
…even if you are a mainstream organisation like Greenpeace, the global police state will attack to kill.
But there are also some creative, uplifting images! Way to go, comrades! 🙂
In conclusion, although not very good quality video, sarcastically presented in German text, but the images speak for themselves: police brutality with thick, weapon-like gloves[2], business as usual.
Finally, this video with German text and speech where in the final interview a bystander notes that the “autonomous groups” were attacked by the police without any prior provocation – and “strangely” the attack came right when the autonomous groups were passing a construction site where stones and other material were abundant (we’re talking about a police operation that costs millions and millions of Euros and a legal, declared march with a pre-decided route – yet there is a whole street fight arsenal freely available in the very moment that the police attacks unprovoked???).
Further info available at United Kollektives Indymedia – and there is also live video at G8-TV.org
The struggle continues…..
[1]: This is the only “proof”, so far, but there is surely more to come: – the incident was distorted by German ZDF into a case of “peaceful protesters distancing themselves from a violent one”, rehearsing the old familiar divide and conquer strategy of the state and the pseudo-state NGOs (direct stream link).
At the Genoa, 2001 G8 – the proof was quite clear: #A / #B – from Nadir.org
[2]: The gloves, which are reinforced with metals and presumably space age things like kevlar, weapons, really, look something like this.
Video documenting police brutality/violence/repression:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_vv12NSSZ4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jkjc51WJSU
Collection:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=+g8+police+violence&search=Search
For the historical view of brutality: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rostock+police+brutality&search=Search
and a previous violent raid in connection with G8 – and an eye witness report.
and the murder of Carlo – and the general state of affairs in Genoa, which will be repated again and again and again and again and again and again and again………..
WATCH A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE G8 2001 CALLED ‘genova citta aperta‘.
colonos 
Saturday, June 9, 2007 at 06:25 (309)
This summary itself seems distorted to me. Rather, it is one-sided and — sorry to say — “business as usual” for much “activist” reportage. The introduction mentions police repression, agent provocateurs and distorted journalism. Yes, of course! What else would we expect from the state and from capital? But to mention only this focuses attention on *their* power, makes our enemy seem all powerful. This is disempowering. My experience of the counter-summit protests was of victory to us! A massive excercise of *our* power. This was the most successful protest against a major summit ever! The fact that the police resorted to water cannon, batons and peppar spray was their response to our power, their attempt to decompose our subjectivity, a sign of their weakness. And in many locations — gate 2, by Bad Doberan, for example, which was completely blockaded from Wednesday midday until Friday — the police did not use these tactics. I’m guessing this was because our numbers and our collective strength was too great for them to take the risk of escalating the situation further and getting themselves into even more trouble. Let’s celebrate our victories!
Saturday, June 9, 2007 at 08:37 (401)
thanks for noting this – but all i can say is that only the title constitutes “the distortion”, since it misled you to belive that it was a summary of *all* events as such – for this i apologise and will change the title.
however, quite a few people have thanked me for this – it was an “indymedia preparation”, ie. a compilation work (takes quite some time to collect) that i did so that others could use it for comprehensive articles about the events, in particular with regards to, as you write, “police repression, agent provocateurs and distorted journalism”.
there is no shortage of reports celebrating the actions – while this was the first compilation of these issues that I or those that I have worked with have come across.
it is just one little piece of the puzzle.
looking forward to your celebratory piece!
Saturday, June 9, 2007 at 10:54 (496)
Just received this:
More reports from the G8 protests in Heiligendamm plus extra celebratory report!
Video: From Wednesday blockade
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/06/372920.html
Pics:
> From Thursday
http://de.indymedia.org/2007/06/183058.shtml
and
http://de.indymedia.org/2007/06/183121.shtml
Everything else (there are more detailed reports on the german site)
http://de.indymedia.org/
Press release from dissent network
Victory at the Gates!
These protests have changed the political world.
The demonstrations against this year’s G8 summit in Heiligendamm,
Northern Germany have been a major success: “We managed to cripple the
summit on the streets from the first day of the summit”, stated Lea
Voigt of the ‘Block-G8’ campaign. Official G8 organizers were forced to
call “Plan B,” Ferrying summit attendees by boat or helicopter, as land
routes were blocked by thousands of summit objectors.
For many people of all ages and backgrounds blockading the G8 their
first encounter with mass protest and direct action, demonstrating not
only their opposition to the inherently unrepresentative summit, but
also their ability to create a better world. More than 18,000 people
overfilled three self-organized protest camps in Rostock,Wichmannsdorf
and Reddilich during the days of the G8 summit, creating a diverse space
where everyone had an equal voice.
Despite the largest security operation in German history since World War
II, over 10,000 people succeeded to block the G8 inside of their own 12
kilometer security fence, effectively penetrating the four kilometer “no
protest zone” for two entire days. Thousands brought sleeping bags and
spent nights on the blockades. Some were turned away by water cannons
and tear gas, but returned the next day to resume their blockades. As
one activist stated at the blockades, “Democracy will always be found in
some form, where it is least allowed. They cannot forever keep out the
people who come to hold them accountable. Our numbers will continue to
grow.”
Despite bans on protests and marches people took to the streets, forests
and fields around Heiligendamm. During the week of resistance in
Germany, 700 people were arrested for protesting the G8, many of them
never having attended such an action. The generosity of local
residents was a great boost to activists, providing water and food to
activists at blockades, even when they were encircled for many hours and
denied access to such necessities.
The movement has been boosted. The alliances created in the greater
campaign against the G8 will continue the struggle against undemocratic
corporate controlled globalization that values war over peace, fences
over democracy, and profits over people and planet alike.
—
Media G8way does not claim responsibility for the content of the statements it
distributes on behalf of the groups or individuals who use its service. Media
G8way is an international press service for individuals, groups, networks and
(dis)organizations who understand themselves to be part of an independent
radical left movement against the G8.
Contact:
Alex Smith +49 16092437902
Jo Smith + 49 015774630348
g8-press-int@nadir.org
http://dissentnetzwerk.org/node/2669
In terms of police behaviour, more worrying were reports of police agent provocateurs within the black block and the clown army deliberately causing trouble (Der Tageszeitung: 08.06.07). Presumably to make the protesters look bad in the mainstream press. This is not a new tactic I’m sure, but shows the lengths the state will go to protect itself and the press’ complicity in this. While protesters are made to look like extremists, with the German police union calling for the use of anti-terrorist legislation for what was 99% of the time peaceful protesting, but then neglecting to mention the use of repressive police tactics.
Though it is true that the Wednesday blockade was so successful, with about 2000 protesters on the road at one point, that the police could do little to prevent it. By the evening there were just a handful to watch protesters shiver in the cold (wet from previous days soaking). However on Thursday in the evening there were reports of repeated use of pepper spray and violence to free up the area around the West gate with many protesters injured, some seriously.
Despite the obvious police brutality (The water cannons were actually a much needed cool down on Friday!) There were many successes. Two roads blocked, one for the whole summit, and the railway line briefly. Over 10,000 people in camps, self organising and working together. There were also solidarity actions in Russia, Chile, Brazil, South Kore, Greece and many more. Also this time the events were not overshadowed by a powerful pro-war lobby and/or bombings closer to home.
Its hard to measure what exactly counts as a success when faced with something which on the face of it appears all powerful. However it feels like this movement is once again proving how effective it can be against this power. Mostly by being uncompromising when attempts are made to reform and create power structures. Also its autonomous nature and the solidarity of the people have demonstrated the possibilities of how the world could be either on the streets, in the camps or around the world.
thanks
Dan
Wednesday, June 20, 2007 at 22:45 (989)
What do you expect,when you want to contest the police ,the authority of the land and the preventor of mass chaos dipstick. I know you want to do what ever you want. Guess what you can’t. Stop sittting around on your backside and do something to help this world,and get over I’ve got to blame somebody for my failure or downfall in life.
Author : PRO America (IP: 64.12.116.6 , cache-mtc-aa02.proxy.aol.com)
E-mail : Tonyclarkston@aol.com
URL :
Whois : http://ws.arin.net/cgi-bin/whois.pl?queryinput=64.12.116.6
Wednesday, June 20, 2007 at 23:40 (028)
It is funny how the conservative mindset assumes that anyone who doesn’t toe the line and do the whole sheep thing sits on his or her “backside”, as if there was nothing else, nothing better in life to do than to marry your high school sweetheart (whom you stopped liking fifteen years ago), get a mortgage (grip of death), two more inches on the TV screen, and a two weeks holiday in Spain (or Mexico) and fifteen more horsepower in the car every year.
“It took him minutes, it took her nowhere…”
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 08:28 (394)
mobile websitemobile website builder…
[…]Brief summary of G8 police brutality: business as usual! « colonos[…]…
Thursday, April 3, 2014 at 13:49 (617)
I every time used to study paragraph in news papers but now
as I am a user of web so from now I am using net for articles or reviews,
thanks to web.