The latest updates from whats going on in Evian

national | miscellaneous | news report

Friday May 30, 2003 15:01

by path in residence - no organisation.

bum at hanging dot around dot all dot day

dropping concrete blocks through the windscreen of the system.. the mutha fuckn B L A N C H

sixty nine

Some links for your reading pleasure.

Indymedia UK has excellent 'ticker' coverage of the current demos. http://uk.indymedia.org/

Thursday's demo attracted about 5,000 people (in the cold hail & rain) which was mostly pink+sliver and black blocs. There was some tear gas and stones exchanged between the cops and crowd but nothing too hectic.

Today's demos have about the same number of people, started earlier in the day. There was some property damage at the WTO and the IOM headquarters. Some tear gas.

Reports say that thousands of people are arriving into the villages now. But numbers are definitely going to be down on Genoa.

ATTAC have already started condemning fellow protesters. Whatever their views on property damage its hardly right of them to say that people who engage in it are not part of 'the movement'. Black Bloc is just as much a tactic as their campaign for "tax reform" (and the effectiveness of that as solving the worlds problems is another day's argument entirely) and they should accept this if not agree with it. And it will always be there.

From the Financial Times website: "Those involved in vandalism or violence will be condemned in advance, they are not part of the alternative world movement," says Jacques Nikonoff, president of the anti-globalisation group Attac.

There's an interesting article here for a call for violent direct action: http://uk.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=69997&group=webcast

There's also been a call for an 'Aqua' block in Evian which would fall somewhere between the pinks and blacks. Those in favour of non-violent direct action. That term is always a bit vague to my ears but I guess they mean blockades and invasions I suppose.

The UK site Evian coverage:
http://uk.indymedia.org/archive/features/current

The Global IMC site:
http://www.indymedia.org/g8/en/

Good luck to the Good Bus people who have been there since Monday, and the Socialist Worker bus people who I think are leaving today some time.

save preference

Comments (2 of 2)

First Anti-G8 demonstration in Lausanne

by Matt S

Fri May 30, 2003 15:23

There was the first major anti-G8 mobilisation in Lausanne today. Several thousand people took part in the legal march, including a pink-silver contingent from the village and a newly arrived contingent of Black Bloc.

The legal march was organised by the anti-G8 mobilisation, but it featured a wide variety of different groups. Several, such as the pink-silver and black blocs, will probably grow and take part in the blockade of Lausanne on Sunday June 1st.

While most of the marchers assembled directly in the startpoint at Lausanne, the pink-silver bloc from the village chose to walk into the town from their encampment. Led by an improvised but loud and enthusiastic samba band, the bloc quickly ran into the newly arrived black bloc and friends, who were marching into town from the Bourdonette camp (the official camp provided by the authorities, only a few 100 metres away from the c'village). The two united, and took to the highway for the half hour walk to the assembly point.

As soon as they arrived the heavens opened and a thunderstorm began, but everyone perservered and started up the steep hills of Lausanne. The black bloc reacted somewhat to a line of riot cops protecting the main shopping district, and it is possible (no info as yet) that there was some small property destruction. However, mostly the demo was a peaceful preparation for the blockades and legal march on Sunday.

On reaching the square the pink-silver contingent reformed (scattered by the thunderstorm!) and took the stairs of the museum, performing for the crowds below. On seeing street theatre performers dressed as the leaders of the G8, they congaed into the crowd and surrounded the evildoers...converting them with the power of samba. Tony Blair dancing was something to see!

The atmosphere in Lausanne is still peaceful, with a huge amount of space for different political groupings to contribute their input. A call has gone out for an 'Aqua' bloc (pacifist NVDA) to join the pink/silver and black blocs on Sunday..the plans are still developing, in sporadic co-ordination with Geneva and Annemasse.

DOWN WITH THE G8!

Photos at:

http://www.indymedia.ch/de/2003/05/9644.shtml

Link: http://www.indymedia.ch/de/2003/05/9644.shtml

More photos at:

http://sf.indymedia.org/news/2003/05/1614861.php

You're getting boring

by Ray

Fri May 30, 2003 16:01

Bye-bye