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G8 Protest Notes & Photos - June 29.2002  Choose Your Poison --------- Notes & Photos - Thunder Takes the Capital By Gary Morton http://Citizensontheweb.ca Rising thunderheads blackened the sky… fists of wind rocked the treetops … thunder rolled, showers of green tree fluff melted into slashing rain … and the gathered demonstrators began a chant and march, following a wide circle on the perimeter of an Ottawa Park. Time passed in a slow wheel, then the cops seized a protester on the street and the excited crowd surged out onto the rain-slicked asphalt. They surrounded the gathered police and groaned as one brutal officer used his foot to grind the man’s head into the concrete. A dark storm had taken the capitol, and as the shouting crowd surged down the open street in a snake march, it became clear that its eye and thunder included rebellion and anger over a bigger snake thing called the G8. A winding march moved in the pouring rain … a crowd of mostly young people, blocking traffic and assailing the public with anti G8 chants. Sometimes the soaked crowd ran wildly in wet streets, at other times they stopped and it went … … above the city in higher eviler winds, the spirit of the G8 emanating from a military mountain near Kananaskis smothered the messages of freedom rising from below … and swelled with visions of a corporate police state. On the ground in Canada the largest peacetime military operation in the nation’s history was underway … fortress Kananaskis … armed police and more cops with video cameras swarmed like rats in the rainy gutters of Ottawa. Never have activists and the public been watched by so many cops … enough cops and cameras and bugs that a storm is rising again out of the flood of pointless information they collected. The spirit of the G8 is a wealthy spirit … estimates have ranged from ten thousand to sixty thousand dollars apiece, as to the amount the Canadian government spent to spy on and police each demonstrator … and it is a greedy spirit of wealthy nations that can barely top up aid for the poorest nations with a billion dollars … an amount that is peanuts for countries like the USA and Britain. G8, globalization and surveillance do support a segment of the population here in the West … investors and the wealthy consumer class … though lately even that class is showing signs of imminent collapse. There is talk of fantastic aid packages for Africa … but if the past is an indication, the economic stipulations nations must meet will be the same ones that have created mass death through poverty in the world’s poorest nations. The growth of an economic system that manifests itself as an unimaginable crime … stripping people of their basic humanity … places like Sri Lanka where people are degraded and die as families try to survive on an income equivalent to 33 cents a day. In numerous other nations indigenous peoples are deprived of land and human rights … they get the gift of land reform that kills on behalf of global profits … in locales where a native person without land is a dead person. If our economic system were just, all could easily be fed and allowed to prosper … but as it is we are not only killing the poor but killing the Earth and its animals … and its children … as in many countries they have been reduced to homelessness and child prostitution. To save us, George Bush, Blair and rest put on their cowboy hats, talk of fighting the War on Terrorism, throw out confusing aid gifts for Africa and yak about kicking Yasser Arafat out of Palestine. Yes, save us with a War on Terrorism that Amnesty International says is leading to oppression and unjust imprisonment across the globe. I suppose this is Western Democracy … a sort of thing were the eight leaders with the dough dictate to the world. And it’s not even democratic in the smaller group. Not like a protest affinity group or spokes council would be … the G8 version is more like Bush takes over with a cowboy program to screw the Palestinians with a form of USA style democracy … where aid will be pulled unless Palestinians vote for America’s candidate of choice. … and hey … the protesters were thinking of the Palestinians, too. ‘cause the snake march came out of the curtains of rain and arrived at a Squat … or place where other people had taken over an abandoned building for the homeless. Up on the third floor a Palestinian flag flew next to the red and black, a symbol of the protesters’ support for a genuine solution for the Palestinians, as opposed to the G8 sponsored George Bush/Israeli incursion. Police were around in large numbers, but they didn’t enter. Story is that about thirty people are now living in the Squat with many more supporters outside … and the reason for it is that there are 15,000 homeless in our nation’s capital … and there isn’t any level of government with any serious plans to improve the situation. Squatters say that when demonstrations become ineffective and little more than rituals … the only option left is to directly challenge the state on the right to housing issue, by taking over any buildings available. … up on Parliament Hill some of the demonstrators stripped to the buff in the rain … so the images of the G8 seemed to be national leaders in cowboy hats and peaceful protesters in the skin and the rain … upsetting corporate media folks like those at the Ottawa Sun … where they don’t like nude sunshine boys that aren’t plugging corporate products and the bullshit Global Corporate Agenda known as Free Trade. … On Saturday the rain swept in again … a dark cloud rising on the brilliance of a sunny day … sending down tears of pity for those suffering hidden horrors in poorer lands, and perhaps rage as the police attempted to seize the protest march’s food van down in the market. So it was the No One is Illegal march and the cops begin by trying to declare our relief van illegal … which led to this rally of flags and symbols of resistance being one that first had to rescue its own heart. Streaming past the American Embassy the crowd rushed into the market to declare that No one is illegal, and Vans aren’t Illegal either … which led to a small victory as the police liaison finally decided to back off. As the thunder rolled a torrent swept in and the march hit the streets like a colorful river … moving about Ottawa with chants and drumming rising and a huge circle of people dancing in the streets at the stops. It ended at Parliament Hill, where they had scary police snipers crouched on the rooftops, aiming at the peaceful crowd … meaning that the whole world is still under the G8 Gun. Rains from a form of Capitalism that has become Global Monopoly fall like poison and kill people every day … on the highway out of Ottawa a storm like a raging waterfall from the sky nearly swept us off the road. The G8 leaders claim they’re raining gold and kindness on Africa, and that they have Bono’s approval for it … but you have to wonder how many people they buried in the gold mine … and why these G8 guys wear cowboy hats like the James Gang as they embark on their mission of mercy?
* IMC News Blast is just below these links. Baring it allPhotos by Graeme Bacque - http://graemesgallery.tripod.com/ttc/TakeTheCapital.html Indy Media Photos:
Report from the Squat
Check G8 Coverage at Ottawa Indy
Media
Take the Capital
IMC NEWS BLAST | Wednesday, 3 July, 2002 | http://www.indymedia.org "G-8 Summit in Kananaskis, Protests in Calgary
& Ottawa - The Struggle for
Compiled by the Indymedia News Blast Team Breaking news:
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An online version of this NEWS BLAST is posted here:
Translations will follow and will be posted as comments to the online version. ------------------------------------------------------
1. SUMMARY 2. BREAKING NEWS
3. KEY ARTICLES
4. IMC COVERAGE
5. SOLIDARITY DEMONSTRATIONS
6. MEDIA CRITICISM
7. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
8. FEEDBACK 9. SUBSCRIBING / UNSUBSCRIBING ------------------------------------------------------
While the leaders of the G-8 held their annual meeting in a heavily
Protest actions in Calgary included: a 3-hour snake march of 4-5,000
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~ Ottawa ~ Ottawa squat update
~ Argentina ~ Not pacified by President Duhalde's stopgap condemnations of the police
(a separate newsblast on Argentina will be sent out shortly) ------------------------------------------------------
~ Eyewitness accounts and other reports ~ Refusal of Visas for African Participants Parallels G-8 Process of
Critical Mass Bike Brigade • by spyder
Peaceful march opens week of protest against G-8 agenda • by Greenpeace
Another world is possible - Calgary, June 24 • by Greenpeace Canada
J23 INFO BULLETIN from the Calgary Legal Collective • by Calgary Legal
Alberta Independent Media Press Center Opens • by Peter Smith
Border Crosser on the way to the G8 Summit Turned Back • by Rob Waite
Local impacts of G8 agenda exposed • by Greenpeace Canada
People's Security Perimeter Established... mostly • by People's Security
'Noone is Illegal' March - a protestor's perspective • DnA
Despite the rain • DnA
They'd rather wear nothing than wear Gap • by mcnuts
J26 - Snake March and Die-In report • by spyder
G8: unjust, undemocratic and unsafe • by Greenpeace Canada
June 26th G8 Disruptions Succeed • by Movement
Cross-Canada Rebellion Against the G8 • by anti-G8
IMC Ottawa wraps up three days of Take the Capital - full archive •
by
~ Historical and Political Analysis ~ Canada Preps for G8 Summit • by Dan Rubinstein, AlterNet
Open Letter to Prime Minister Chrétien • by Kairos Canada
A Short History of Neoliberalism • by Susan George
The G8 and Thunder Bay • by Mel
The G8 - Breaking it down! • Julien Lamarche
G6B Recommendations for G8 Leaders • by Tammy Lea Meyer
G-8 Summit Sidelines Africa • by Ross Crockford, AlterNet
G8 fails people and the planet • by Greenpeace Canada
A Wake-Up Call for the G-8 • by Mark Weisbrot, AlterNet
G-8: Failing Model of Global Governance • by Tom Barry, Foreign Policy
in
Anti-Globalization: Why they protest. • by Shane Nelson
Understanding the G-8
Going Down To Kananaskis: Fork In The Road For Our Movement • by
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~ Photos / Calgary & Kananaskis ~ G8 cycle brigade • by Yuill Herbert
Kananaskis Village - 'ghost town' before summit • by Richard Paszkowski
Militarization of Kananaskis • by yuill herbert
Checkpoints en route to Kananaskis • by Concerned Canadians
Barricades in Calgary; Speakers at G6B (6 Billion) Conference • by
5,000 march through Calgary with puppets and banners • by humble
More photos of the Calgary march • by yuill herbert
Police at the G8 Community March, Calgary • by Jonathan Stade
June 23rd Parade Shots • by mcnuts
CRAP (Corporate Rule Advances Poverty) @ the June 23rd Parade • by
Show-Down at the Hoe-Down J25! • by Andrew Stern
Early Morning Ritual Before Start of Snake March • by Andrew Stern
Snake March J26 • by Andrew Stern
pictures from snake march • by yuill herbert
Calgary J26 Snake March • by Grant Neufeld • Wednesday June 26
J26 Snake March - more photos • by Shane Nelson
Calgary Black Bloc and Snake March photos • by anti-G8
Caravan to Kananaskis Security Perimeter • by Andrew Stern
G8 K-Country Caravan • by mcnuts
We'd Rather Wear Nothing Than GAP Action • by Andrew Stern
GAP protest • by yuill herbert
gap ATTACK • by Crow
Global Knit-In Photos, Calgary • by Grant Neufeld
Die-In Action J26 • by Andrew Stern
G8 DI-IN - June 26th, 2002 • by mcnuts
Anarcho Soccer! • by Andrew Stern
more fotoz • by A Big Black Bird - caw, caw
~ Photos / Ottawa ~ Taking the Capital: Day 1 • Ottawa IMC Reporters
Best Photos of G8 Ottawa Day 1 • Jake Wright
Ottawa Snake March • by IMC SF Americanadian Crew
Pictures From Ottawa Snake March and Squat June 26 • kev@tao.ca
Occupation at 264 Gilmour, Ottawa • Carol Hodgson
Taking the Capital: Day 2 • Julien Lamarche
June 27th March, Ottawa • Jake Wright
Protest on the Hill - Banners, Theatre, etc.• Mike Gifford
Thousands of Protestors in 'No one is illegal' march • Julien Lamarche
Pictures from "No one is Illegal" March, Ottawa • Kevin Smith
Bikechévik Vélorutionaire Critical Mass • Julien Lamarche
~ Audio / Calgary ~ G6B Opening Keynote Speech: Stephen Lewis, UN Secretary General Special
Kairos's G8 Press Conference • by Kairos Canada
Legal Collective Press Conference • by G8 Legal Collective
Médecins Sans Frontières G8 Press Conference • by Médecins
Sans Frontières
Halifax Initiative G8 Press Conference • by Halifax Initiative
Greenpeace Canada G8 Press Conference • by Greenpeace Canada
Interview with Austin C. Muneku • by Greenpeace
Revolutionary Knitting Circle G8 Press Conference • by Revolutionary
Upfront Media Collective Press Conference, June 26 • by Alberta IMC
Interview with Sarath Fernando, Co-Secretary of the Movement for National
G8 Watch - Response to PM Chretien's Summary • by alberta imc
Interview with Starhawk • by spyder
Interview with Canadian Energy and Paperworkers (CEP) member • by
Interview with Marema Toure, Development Consultancy, Senegal.(French)
•
Brian Kagoro: how the IMF, World Bank, WTO have led to crisis and
~ Audio / Ottawa ~ Take The Capital Radio Audio Archives • Take The Capital Radio
Take the Capital! press conference - morning, June 28th • Julien Lamarche
Stefan Christoff, from the CLAC, talks about the J26 snake march and
squat
~ Video / Calgary ~ Live video from IMC G8, Epcor Centre • by IMC Alberta
Greenpeace interview with Ralph Klein • by Greenpeace Canada
'Rolling Sunlight' solar truck comes to Calgary • by Greenpeace Canada
J25 Day of Action video (5.2 mb)• by Justin Rhode/Kiran Lerner
Ecological disasters paid by for by public money • by G6B video
crew
~ Video / Ottawa ~ Squat - Ottawa G8 • Ottawa
http://ontario.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=10618&group=webcast http://ontario.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/metafiles/squateqczqe.mov
Take the Capital Press Conference • IMC
http://ontario.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=10620&group=webcast http://ontario.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/metafiles/pressconfdmzz77.mov
Video Documentary From 'Take The Capital' Protests • Matthew Moro
Video Archive - Ottawa Coverage • IMC Ottawa Collective
IWW action at Starbucks, Ottawa G8 • Ottawa
http://ontario.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=10634 http://ontario.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/metafiles/iwwnyqxiz.mov
Interview with spokesperson for GRILA, opposing Chretien's NEPAD initiative
http://ontario.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/metafiles/grilauydtie.mov
Ottawa occupation interview with CTV • 501
http://ontario.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/metafiles/ctvinterviewvvwbfs.mov
Video of Police attack on Squat house • djfern
~ General ~ IMC Global Website, connected to over 80 local IMC websites
IMC Radio (for special coverage and commentary on recent events)
IMC Print (weekly news summaries in distributable newsletter-flier format)
IMC TV (ongoing video coverage from various IMCs)
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Vancouver Action J26: Connecting the Dots to G8 • by Brian Seidman
Activists make anticupola of the G8 in Mali • by infolivre collective
Edmonton Community Solidarity March • by j smith
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G-8 Corporate Media Coverage
Giant cable company interprets the G8 preparations • by Media Watcher
AM Radio ad warns of potential 'health emergency' in Calgary • by Thatcher
Indymedia makes mainstream • by BING http://www.alberta.indymedia.org/news/2002/06/3186_comment.php#3230 Pictures from the Park • Mike Gifford
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~ activist resources ~
~ other alternative media coverage and analysis ~
http://www.counterpunch.org
Past Newsblasts:
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The IMC is a decentralized network of independent media makers,
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