Chronicle of global resistance to 2006 Summit
Rising Tide North America - 21.07.2006 03:48
July 14, 2006 was a Global Day of Action against the G8. July 15, 2006 was an International Day of Action for Climate Justice, and against Climate Change and the G8. Below is a partial list of anti-G8 actions that happened on these days around the world, and on other days in St. Petersburg and elsewhere during the past week. A number of actions against climate change (including many Critical Mass bike rides) also occurred on July 14. We continue to receive information about additional actions -- stay tuned to www.rtc.revolt.org and int.ru.indymedia.org for updates! Contact  g8@risingtidenorthamerica.org if you have an action to report!
July 14, 2006 was a Global Day of Action against the G8. July 15, 2006 was an International Day of Action for Climate Justice, and against Climate Change and the G8. Below is a partial list of anti-G8 actions that happened on these days around the world, and on other days in St. Petersburg and elsewhere during the past week. A number of actions against climate change (including many Critical Mass bike rides) also occurred on July 14. We continue to receive information about additional actions -- stay tuned to www.rtc.revolt.org and int.ru.indymedia.org for updates! Contact g8@risingtidenorthamerica.org if you have an action to report!
URGENT! - Actions are now being organized in solidarity with activists in St. Petersburg, Russia who have been arrested, assaulted and repressed by the Russian police state. As the summit opened, demonstrations in the city were either outlawed, stopped by the police, or broken up by force. More than 200 people had already been imprisoned before the G8 Summit, some accused of "terrorism," to prevent them taking part in possible demonstrations.Yesterday (Sunday July 16) around 50 people were arrested. More than 30 people were arrested at the blockade of a hotel in St. Petersburg used by participants in the G8 Summit. Police attacked and arrested journalists before turning on the protesters. 12 activists were also arrested during a weekly anti-war picket, and 6 Belorussian activists were arrested and physically abused by police for organising a press conference. Protest against this police violence and repression! Organize solidarity demonstrations at the nearest Russian Embassy or Consulate! International Solidarity demonstrations have been called this week in London, UK; Strasbourg, France; and Berlin, Germany.( For more information: UK Indymedia and int.ru.indymedia.org)
CHRONICLE OF INTERNATIONAL ACTIONS AGAINST THE 2006 G8 SUMMIT
(People's Global Action has compiled an even more detailed list, click here)
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Amsterdam, The Netherlands - Anti-G8 Critical Mass bicycle demonstration that occupied a few of the busiest 'highways' in town and ended at the building of Shell Research to show solidarity with activists in Rossport (Ireland) resisting a pipeline-project from Shell. In the morning a small action was also held at the Russian Embassy in The Hague. (  http://int.ru.indymedia.org/newswire/display/89/index.php and Pictures: http://indymedia.nl/nl/2006/07/37709.shtml )
Asheville, USA - Climate Justice Day! Bicycle workshops and skillshares, followed by Critical Mass bike ride.
Auckland, New Zealand - Climate Justice Day! 5 simultaneous banner drops over bridges, with slogans like "Stop Climate Change Now" and "International Climate Justice Day," followed by a Critical Mass bike ride. ( http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20060716115236282 )
Berlin, Germany - An anti-capitalist march visited the German Foreign Ministry and the Russian Embassy, where a skirmish occurred and 2 protesters were arrested. ( Pictures: http://int.ru.indymedia.org/newswire/display/124/index.php )
Brisbane, Australia - Climate Justice Day! "Reclaim the Streets" party with banners including "Don't Run Away From Climate Change." The streets were seized for a couple of hours as people danced along with a mobile sound system, visiting the offices of companies responsible for exporting coal, building road tunnels & dams. Organized by Rising Tide Australia. ( Pictures: http://risingtide.org.au/node/125 )
Davis, California - Protest against Monsanto in solidarity with anti-G8 global days of action, in front of the USDA building in Davis. Rally against SB 1056, the biotech-sponsored bill that prevents local communities from their Constitutional right to vote on whether or not their town, city or county will allow Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and Genetically Engineered (GE) seed crops to be grown in their voting district. ( http://rtc.revolt.org/node/291 )
Gao, Mali, Africa - The fifth edition of the People's Forum -- a popular convergence to educate, exchange, communicate, inform, plan citizens' actions and elaborate alternatives to neoliberal globalization -- started on July 15 as a counterweight to the G8 summit in St Petersburg, Russia. Several hundred people attended this three-day gathering to raise awareness about the problems faced by poor people in Western Africa, including neo-colonial plunder of the natural and energy resources of the South. ( http://int.ru.indymedia.org/newswire/display/106/index.php )
Gloucestershire, UK - Climate Justice Day! Rally opposing airport expansion at Staverton, Gloucestershire's airport. "If we are to stave off the worst impacts of climate change fairly we must cut emissions by 80 to 90 per cent in the next few decades: that will simply not be possible unless we reduce emissions from flights. Instead of pursuing the outdated model of ‘predict and provide’, approving new runways at the airlines’ behest, the Government should stop building new runways and take immediate steps to force the airlines to reduce their emissions." ( http://rtc.revolt.org/node/326 )
The only sustainable solution is to reduce the total number of flights and make the airlines pay the true social and environmental costs of their activities.
Hamburg, Germany - Many groups called for a Reclaim The Streets Day under the slogan: "We are not going to demand anything. We are not going to ask for anything. We are going to take. We are going to occupy." ( Call to Action: http://reclaimthestreets-hh.tk AND Report on mass arrests at Hamburg RTS: http://int.ru.indymedia.org/newswire/display/82/index.php)
Lawrence, Kansas, USA - Carnival against Capital in solidarity with the anti-G8 protests in St. Petersburg, Russia and around the world.Featuring live music including Erik Petersen from the punk/folk group Mischief Brew, and local hip-hop and folk act Joe Carr, plus food, face painting, and other activities. ( http://rtc.revolt.org/node/282 )
London, England - Climate Justice Day! "G ATE MY PLANET" protest party outside the Embassy of the country most responsible for setting a policy direction that can only lead to planetary catastrophe: the United States. Organized by the Campaign Against Climate Change. ( http://www.campaigncc.org )
London, England - In solidarity with Climate Justice Day, banner unfurled featuring the digits 'C' 'O' and '2' and leaflets distributed outside the office of Tulchan Communications, a public relations firm that counts Drax Group plc, which owns and runs the UK's dirtiest coal-fired power plant plant, amongst its clients. Organized by London Rising Tide. ( http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20060715111242974&query=drax )
Madrid, Spain - Actvists from the Global Action Madrid collective symbolically hanged straw-puppets representing the G8 leaders, denouncing the criminal policies and extreme impoverishment of indebted countries carried out by the world's eight most powerful countries. ( http://int.ru.indymedia.org/newswire/display/126/index.php )
Maine, USA - Climate Justice Day! Truckload of construction and demolition debris dumbed in Governor Baldacci's driveway, protesting and bringing attention to his continual support of the importation, dumping, and burning of toxic construction and demolition debris behind claims of supporting alternative and renewable energy. ( http://maineindymedia.org/newswire/display/4102/index.php)
Manchester, England - Bicycle carnival in solidarity with Climate Justice Day and anti-G8 protesters in Russia. The cycling protest in Manchester was a celebration of the bicycle as a mode of transport that doesn't pollute or cause climate change. Cyclists took to the road cheering, blowing whistles and playing musical instruments as they rode. Organized by Manchester Camp for Climate Action. ( call to action: http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/?q=node/1466 AND pictures: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/07/345162.html )
Manila, Phillipines - Anarchist Festival organized in response against the G8 Summit (solidarity), in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Spanish Revolution, and resistance to the Phillipine President's annual "State of the Nation Address." ( http://afesta.blogsome.com )
Maracaibo, Venezuela - Climate Justice Week! A full week of activities against coal mining in the indigenous territory of the Sierra de Perijá, including film screenings, eco-games, mural painting, art exhibitions, culminating July 15 with a protest and rally in the streets of Maracaibo. ( Schedule of events: http://www.aporrea.org/medios/n80416.html AND July 15 in Maracaibo: http://www.aporrea.org/medios/n79977.html )
Paris, France - Vélorution bicyclists joined the "Grand MiliTerre Procession of the Army of Clowns" as ARMS FOR MASSIVE PROTECTION OF THE CLIMATE! ( Communique 1: http://www.velorution.org/articles/288.html - Communique 2: http://14juillet.brigadeclowns.org/doku.php - Photos & Videos: http://brigadeclowns.org/index.php?title=14juillet )
St. Petersburg, Russia - Blockade of the entrance of a hotel and main thoroughfare used by G8 Summit particpants as a protest against G8 policy that supports nuclear energy and the commercialization of education. They blockaded the street ( photos), raised banners, and distributed leaflets against the policy of G8. About 30 people arrested.( press release: http://int.ru.indymedia.org/newswire/display/123/index.php )
St. Petersburg, Russia - Participants in the Russian Social Forum, which was held in St.Petersburg on July 13-15, were not allowed to have a march, although they requested permission from City Hall weeks before. Police blocked them at the Kirov stadium, where the Social Forum was held, and prevented from taking to the streets of the city. About 150 activists held a rally behind closed gates, facing lines of riot police, who outnumbered the activists. [video | report | photos: 1 | 2]
Straslund, Germany - (Thursday 13 July, 2006) Around 1,500 people from the peace, counter-globalisation and anti-fascist movements in Germany against US President Bush and German Chancellor Angela Merkel's pre-G8 meeting in Stralsund, on the Baltic coast in northern Germany. ( http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20060714111646662)
Sydney, Australia - Protesting the ongoing brutality of the capitalist system, environmental destruction, and attacks on human rights that the goverments of the G8 countries perpetrate, activists shut down the Russian Consulate in Sydney. ( http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2006/07/116904.php )
Washington, DC, USA - Critical Mass bike ride through downtown DC to US Vice President Dick Cheney's home, followed by a rally against oil, coal and nuclear energy outside the home of US Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel Bodman. Protesters chanted "No Nukes, No Coal, G8 Shut It Down!" Organized by DC Anti-War Network. ( http://rtc.revolt.org/node/281 )
Wellington, New Zealand - In solidarity with Climate Justice Day, activists climbed a waterfront building to unfurl a banner in-front of a 5 storey high picture of a tsunami wave reading, 'Will you get Thru? Get Ready - Get Thru Climate Change.' Spokesperson Gareth Hughes said "Climate Change is the most urgent issue facing New Zealand and World and as this banner demonstrates we have got to get ready both to mitigate its effects but also to adapt to a World a changing climate and more extreme weather events." The activists said their action was timed to happen just before the G8 meeting in St Petersburg, where the 8 richest industrialized countries will gather under the euphemistic banner of "Energy Security."( http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0607/S00180.htm )
In addition: The first international protest took place on July 13th in Gothenburg (SE), and a banner was hung on a bridge in Bristol (UK): "Geldof lied: Live Aid changed nothing! Bristol Solidarity with the Moscow G8 Crashers! ". On Friday July 14, a G8 solidarity occupation and banner-drop action at the Russian Chamber of Commerce in London (UK) was violently policed and at two were arrested. Protests in front of Russian embassies took place in Den Haag (NL), Salzburg (AT), Berlin, Bonn (DE), and Minsk (BY). Activists in Traunstein, Frankfurt/Main , Hamburg, Oldenburg, Rosenheim, Bremen, Heidelberg&Mannheim , Hannover (DE), Cardiff (UK), Zug am See (CH), Paris (F), and Warsaw (PL) also protested against the policies of the G8. In Kiev the group "The world is not a commodity" did a performance [ report] | ( pictures). A part of inner-city Lüneburg (DE) was "privatised."
Contact g8@risingtidenorthamerica.org to report additional actions! Stay tuned to www.rtc.revolt.org and int.ru.indymedia.org for breaking news and updates!
 E-Mail: g8@risingtidenorthamerica.org  Website: http://risingtidenorthamerica.org
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