[g8-sheffield] Agenda and Minutes of last meeting for g8-Sheffield meeting, 16th March

[Chris Malins]

G8-Sheffield 7.30pm, Rutland Arms, Brown Lane, Wednesday 16th March 2005

I am going to suggest a basic agenda for the meeting on Wednesday based 
on the sort of action points we took away last time. Please read through 
this in advance, as several points are predicated on people having put 
some thought in between the meetings.

AGENDA:

Start 7.30pm

0) Minutes of the last meeting, to agree. Agree facilitator for meeting, 
and appoint at least one minute taker.

1) To agree a specific statement of non-violence. I will suggest: "The 
Sheffield G8 group stands in opposition to the violence perpetrated in 
our names by the governments which constitute the G8. We set ourselves 
against it, and to support all those who are against it, whether it is 
the explicit violence of war or the implicit violence of destroying 
civil liberties and enforced poverty. Because we stand opposed to 
violence, we will support in any way we can any action, by any group, 
about and against the G8 which uses non-violent means to achieve aims 
consistent with our philosophy. However, we will not involve ourselves 
in any use of violence for any purpose, nor will we lend our support to 
any action that intends to use violence as a tool."

Hopefully this can go on the wiki for any amendment desired before 
Wednesday, after which we should consider it binding.

2) Suggestion of venues for a convergence centre. It seems to be 
generally agreed that providing a social and indymedia convergence 
centre at the time of the G8 meeting is an excellent way for local 
people to support other campaiging groups. With this in mind, please 
come armed with suggested venues, considering: legality, size, 
availablity of power, internet and cooking facilities. From this 
meeting, I hope to action point someone to put the wheels in motion, and 
take serious steps towards having such a facility booked.

3) Ideas for a street party. More ideas, and crystallisation of key 
ideas and aims for a street party/protest event. Again, consideration of 
possible locations, but also of the degree of flexibility we want.

4)Amp to feed back on legal support issues. Do we need a space/house to 
offer as a legal support centre for attendees. Bear in mind that legal 
support may go beyond the length of the conference. Can/should we 
arrange training etc?

5) Other support for attendees. Accommodation etc. Providing central 
access to key information via the internet (SSF wiki/ G8-Sheffield 
homepage, as and when it is activated?).

6) Plans of other groups. If anyone can report back about any published 
plans/ideas from other organisations, it will give us a much better idea 
of who we should look to contact, what support groups might appreciate 
and how we can join our efforts. Could include things like Critical Mass.

7) Time and place for next meeting. Accessible venue for these meetings. 
Is pub venue an issue, do we have any suggestions? Related business.

8) Any other business.

To finish by 9.15pm

This meeting should look to generate action points to be taken away, and 
volunteers to action them. I would suggest a further meeting in ~ 3weeks 
time.

Minutes of the last meeting.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [ssf] corrected (03) Draft Minutes
Date: Fri, 04 Mar 2005 12:37:13 +0000
From: eironeia <amparo2yo at telefonica.net>
To: SSF <ssf at lists.aktivix.org>


Minutes draft for a meeting held on 2nd March 2005 at The R. Arms,
Sheffield.
Several hands were taking notes; this is just my version, not
necessarily in strict chronological order of interventions. Names are
fictional.

Attending: About 12-15.
Absent: Some persons from BOM.
Facilitator: Chris.
Time: Two hours meeting.
Following a brief personal introduction, brainstorming:


*Chris on the meeting's structure: Do persons prefer that the meeting
has a chairperson and a formal structure?
This offer is declined by consensus. Meeting to have no chair, informal,
  following round-table structure.*
James: Non-violence should be a priority or basic principle. Everybody
agrees.
Peter and James:
Brief introduction about Sheffield g8 and its context: elections,
Blunkett's return; counter-ideas: united against fascism vs. united
against terrorism; serving ASBO's to masters, at least try first stage
through solicitor(s). Venue unknown. M17 Derby venue made public about
17 days before their G8 event.
Rose and James: Greenpeace presence.
James and Chris about a phone camcorder being used at meeting. Daniel is
using laptop at some point. Openness to be a priority at this stage too.
*Email addresses of persons attending are written and passed round for
email list to be created at aktivix.org moderated by other? Chris.
Chris: Is g8-sheffield the list name everyone is happy with? Yes by
consensus.*

Chris: On Call Out and Statement by other Chris. Agreed.
Mary and Adriana: let's top discussing violence vs. non-violence, since
non violence basic established principle.
Adriana distributes 6 +6 pages containing contact info for g8legal
support and anti-G8 timelines outside Sheffield.
Daniel, Chris, Peter: suggested actions along two time lines: 8th to
11th June: PiP arrangements, training tent(s). Clowns and action
training. 11th June to end of g8: SSF and Indymedia.
PiP moving date of their event.
Convergence centre(s)required.
Daniel, Chris, Peter: Openness as agreed at this stage: attracts more
people and accountable. Minutes etc. accessible for people learning.
John: MEDIA. BBC look north proposals for interview(s)as rationalization
for direct action. To be done about April. SSF has contact details.
John & Chris: Previously recorded interviews and videos could be used as
evidence of non-guilty if need arises at a later stage.
Suggestion from Seeds for change: BBC could be directed to Indymedia
coverage. Anyway, violent group's intervention expected to be negligible.
Mary: Accommodation needed. Question about this being provided at
convergence centre(s).
Adriana: Establishing a legal support group to coordinate legal support
and prepare small legal guide.
Demos and street events: Lots of creative brainstorming here:
Barry and Critical Mass offered lots of ideas. On assumption that centre
will be cordoned off, standard demos are out of the question.
Seeds for Change: non violent reshaping and rearrangement of barriers.
Toy guns being sold at any shop to be shown as damaging. Need for
coordination: direct action. According to previous experience,
intervention by "violent" groups would be minimal anyway.
Daniel and others: a planned schedule: Going to schools, with kids
preparing statements to be read for G8. Help to mobilise for Scotland in
July. Local Dissent work. Similarly to Leeds and Manchester groups,
Sheffield to use dissent site.
Robert: Offer to create dedicated web site.
Seeds for change suggested draft agenda for next meeting:
To be discussed: Fluffy demo, Convergence centre(s), Street action,
Accommodation, communication. Compiling legal support stuff, Critical
mass ideas,
Mary: Suggested an existing Pedal Pusher's Group could also help at
street action level.
Final quarter of meeting: similar or same ideas second or third round.
Seeds of change and Mary cannot do it to next meeting. Statement or Call
Out(s) to include early support to other groups, since trouble expected
at national borders for visitors coming from France &Netherlands.
More brainstorming about ideal demo(s). James from Greenpeace: focal point?
*Chris: Anybody attending interested to prepare to take Sheffield to
Gleneagles July 5th-7th? Since negative answer, brainstorming on
Sheffield continues:*

Issues: immigration: http://noborder.org/ . No guns for children. No Id
cards for children and artistic approach to protest.
Contact Sheffield Women's Peace Group. Songs to be composed.
Again: convergence centre. Access space (the more cameras, the better).
Comic vs. violent approaches. Benefits of the former.
Next meeting scheduled for same venue, same time, 16th Wednesday, to be
widely announced as usual.
Seeds for Change propose that facilitators are rotated at every meeting.
No other names suggested so far.
(Exchange of business cards and friendly conversation followed).


_____________________________________________________________


For details of Dissent! working groups and how to get involved
see:
http://www.dissent.org.uk/content/view/17/28

For a copy of the People's Global Action hallmarks, Dissent's organising
starting point, see:
http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/free/pga/hallm.htm



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