The G8 and Indymedia
In 1990, the G7 held its meeting in London. It passed by quietly. There were no 'red zones' and only a small protest took place. Eight years later, 400 social movements from around the world - under the banner of Peoples' Global Action - co-ordinated local resistance to global problems. In the UK 50,000 people came together to resist the G8 meeting. In 2005, the G8 returns to the UK.
Inspired by the Zapatistas, who, in 1994, said YA BASTA! to neo-liberalism and declared war on the Mexican Governement on the day the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) went into effect, people have taken up Direct Action in every corner of the world to fight for another world. The summits of the financial institustions (WTO, IMF and the World Bank) and meetings of politicals leaders (G8, APEC, EU summits) have become the target of environmental and social justice activists.
Radical media activists have played a vital role in covering these protests and actions. Indymedia has become the target of the authorities on too many occasions for telling the truth. In Genoa (G8 2001) the Indymedia Centre at the Diaz School was raided by the cops and media activists were beaten up brutally. In 2003 (G8 Evian) the Indymedia Centre in Geneva was also stormed by the police and dozens of people were arrested.
In Wellington, Indymedia activists will set up an Indymedia Centre this week on 166 Cuba St. to report on the global protests. 'Berlusconi's Mousetrap', an account of what happened in Genoa at the G8 meeting in 2001, will be screened at 7:30pm on Friday, 8th July, at Thistle Hall (corner Cuba and Arthur St).
Check out http://www.g8radio.net/ for live radio streaming from Scotland.
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Comments
Re: The G8 and Indymedia
Here are photos from the Make poverty history march in edinburgh
http://www.flickr.com/photos/treesgrowoutofmyhead/
Re: The G8 and Indymedia
Your love is in your ego. It looks like an English day out and I’m not surprised if Mr. Blair was there blowing his own trumpet. Since it turned out to be a whitish show, it is a fitting platform for a Western apology to the indigenous peoples of the world for colonization and strategically setting the path of dependency and towards poverty. Now there’s something to sing about for a change.
Re: The G8 and Indymedia
'Berlusconi's Mousetrap' was shown on Thursday night at Biddy Mulligan's bar in Hamilton. Plans are afoot for a game of G8 football on Saturday in Garden Pl, starting at 2pm. Bring a friend!
Re: The G8 and Indymedia
i put aside Friday 1st of July especially to support the Make Poverty History Campaign launch at the Auckland Museum, with this launch and much media, i was expecting a substantial crowd, but much to my disappointment, the turnout was hardly anything to rave about..Wish people would make more of an effort to be seen and heard on such causes. PEACE
The Eco-village
Hiya, just a quick update from the Stirling Eco-village.
Its a large convergance centre in a field near stirling where most people are staying at and has a Kiwi hosted neibourhood. Indymedia should be online from there soon so there will be more updates..
Things are going well, and its acting as a good hub for different actions. Its very exciting!
I'll try and sent a more long & coherant update when I've had more sleep..
Hope the events are going well over there.
Re: The G8 and Indymedia
The greatest whitewash ever!
From now on, celebrities and politicians are banned from publicity of charitable projects such as the so-called Live Aid. The consequences are supposed to benefit the poor, but the unintended consequences are by far gaining more publicity for celebrities and politicians more. There records or films gain recognition as a result, as well as politicians popularity rate. This is clearly unethical but also has massive conflict of interest.
There are genuine community organisations who are working with Aid and they are the ones who should be involved with publicity. If they nominate a patronage to front their public campaign, or ask a group to perform for the occasion, then that is different. The community is making a choice, and not put up with an imposition from either the celebrities or their political affiliations.
Mr. Blair among the G8 and Western leaders should they be genuinely concern about the fate of the poor, are better organized by aiding developments towards the sustenance of a quality of life, education, trade difference, and freedom from dependency of colonized mentality, such as Mr. Mugabe.
The Western Media as usual is never democratic or neutral when colour is concerned. Where is the balanced?
As always, I am available to pack up my valid proposition with professional conditions attached. Everyone knows where to find me.
Go here: http://au.geocities.com/the_uprising1/
Re: The G8 and Indymedia
Don't worry the 'anarchists' will upstage them yet.
Notice how anarchists only seem to exist on the news during riots, I wonder what they do the rest of the time...
Some of those hippies I've been seeing on the news makes me relieze why the cops want to beat them up..
Re: The G8 and Indymedia
Yay for big fuck off demos.
Here in little old welly. Lots of people are sick and tired. We strugle on. We are overcomeing difficulties and are getting a little indy media display / center set up at 166 cuba also known as the cake shop. At the momment it is just a monitor in the front window faceing the street with a constantly changeing screen saver wich has about 15 pics on it. Tommorow we should have radio and another computer. We are joining the global day of action against climate change on friday by haveing a demo from 11:45 starting at midland park. Cheek out www.g8wellington.tk.xxx mark
Re: The G8 and Indymedia
Yay for big fuck off demos.
Here in little old welly. Lots of people are sick and tired. We strugle on. We are overcomeing difficulties and are getting a little indy media display / center set up at 166 cuba also known as the cake shop. At the momment it is just a monitor in the front window faceing the street with a constantly changeing screen saver wich has about 15 pics on it. Tommorow we should have radio and another computer. We are joining the global day of action against climate change on friday by haveing a demo from 11:45 starting at midland park. Cheek out www.g8wellington.tk.xxx mark
Re: The G8 and Indymedia
i love you all...for all you do.
having spent the night being constantly searched and detained, and then finallly had a boogie on a wonderfully blockaded motorway,
everything is insane!
Re: The G8 and Indymedia
hey revolta
yay for you! glad you got your boogie on. can't wait to see you safe and sound in one piece.
they keep searching, but strangely don't find all those weapons they are looking for...perhaps they should start searching each other cause they certainly have some very big ones.
Re: The G8 and Indymedia
Lame asse shiite article.
You can't write for shiite bozo
Re: The G8 and Indymedia
If the anti-G8 protestors have any sense they'll call off their protests following last nights murders in London.
Re: The G8 and Indymedia
I agree.
Re: The G8 and Indymedia
Why should they give it a rest, did the G8 cancel their meetings? and how are the two related anyway?
Re: The G8 and Indymedia
very true, the capitalist leaders didn't stop shagging the planet after the bombings. We have a duty in the face of adversity to fight the good fight. Terrorism is a symptom of capitalism - the worst thing we can do is stop trying to present the cure.
Re: The G8 and Indymedia
the G8 capitalists are open about what they do and think...How many BILLIONS of $US have poured into that heart of darkness = AFRICA ????? and where has all this money gone in the last 45 years ??? Or, perhaps, to whom??? Those nasty and horrible Christian westerners with all their ill gotten gain have given freely and given with conditions and lent with business interest .....So why are the blacks poverty stricken??? And why are their sweet talking Black skinned Moslem leaders living in a style that is stunning even in the wealthy West??? Maybe give them nothing, untill they pay back all they owe??? The money is in Switserland....
Re: The G8 and Indymedia
aid dollars are given to oppressive leaders to keep their populations in their place -- one of exploitation and powerlessness. if any people stand up and refuse the west's direction for them (i.e. to stay weak and powerless and for profits to continue flowing to the west) they and their leaders are killed. if people re-take their natural right to control their own affairs -- decide on a course independent of Western business interests they are targetted by western terrorism and violence; assassinations and death squads; people starved into submission using trade embargoes. the principle enemy of any political power is their own population and political leaders around the world are funded and supported by the West only if they act in the financial interests of Western corporations. elites and the masses are the only us and them I care for. I feel solidarity with the exploited whatever they are and whatever the colour of their skin may happen to be.