G-8 turns Gang of Eight in Germany!

G-8, Bush, Putin, summit, Germany, protest, criticism

Bush and Putin, the biggest spoiler of G-8 summit(Cartoon courtesy: Darkow)

Washington and Moscow have kept trading barbs over a planned U.S -built missile defense system for Central Europe,tried to chill the Cold War-like rhetoric between their countries in G-8 summit.

By Citizen Correspondent Shyamal Barua

Date Posted: 07/07/07

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A 12-kilometer perimeter fence and the largest German security operation since World War II did not stop tens of thousands from protesting in Rostock Germany at the G-8 summit in early June.

The media focused on the cat and mouse conflict between German riot police and a small section of protesters in Rostock. Meanwhile thousands travelled across Europe to make their voices heard and to underline the hypocrisy of the G8 summit. Over 80,000 took part in the mass demonstration on 2 June. Riots kicked off between police and the far outnumbered anarchist 'black bloc'. It was eye-opening to witness the repressive tactics of police using water cannons and tear gas.

The following day was action for migrants. Thousands set out to peacefully demonstrate, but Rostock was occupied by police. They surrounded the demo and held people there for around three hours. The authorities didn't realise that all those who came to Rostock to protest peacefully could only be radicalised by such repression.

The rest of the week was packed with actions, blockades and a counter-summit. Hundreds gathered at an international Stop the War rally to hear speakers from across the globe.

As a sea of activists arrived off the trains, it became evident that waiting on buses to the assembly point was not going to be practical. A spontaneous demo took off through the streets chanting 'Anti Capitalista' and 'Internationale Solidarite' up to the assembly point to meet thousands more. Over 10,000 blockaded the four gates of the G8 summit. Despite the largest security mobilisation in Germany since the Second World War, the G8 officials had to resort to flying delegates and supplies in by helicopter.

The point of these protests was to delegitimise the G8 summit, to not allow them to meet under the pretence of being serious about solving the world's problems, and to highlight that these problems result from the very system of imperialism that the G8's existence depends upon.