[pagan-magik] Fwd: [G8SouthEast]:minutes resist G8 south east assembly 22 Jan

[Adrian Harris]

Hi,

these are the minutes from the G8 meeting in London to co-ordinate the
South East England groups. Most useful for us southerners, but useful
background for everyone else.

A

>From: "Top Cat" <lunchout90 at hotmail.com>
>To: g8southeast at lists.riseup.net
>Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 23:45:08 +0000

>>these have been lovingly compiled from two sets of minutes.
>>
>>NB next SE assembly meet is on SATURDAY 26TH FEBRUARY location to be 
>>confirmed
>>
>>helen
>>
>>
>>
>>Introductions
>>People at the meet from: Corporate watch, Pagan Activists, 
>>DragonEnvironmental
>>Network, Class war, Rising Tide, LARC, Rhythms of Resistance, Disarm DSEi,
>>Wombles, i-D Magazine, No Sweat, ULUantiauthoritarians, Trident 
>>Ploughshares,
>>Thessaloniki solidarity, local anti-G8/dissent groups ­ Reading, Brighton 
>>etc
>>and individuals.
>>
>>INTRODUCTION
>>The purpose of the SE assembly?
>>	A networking group ­ bringing SE groups together to coordinate, inspiring
>>people to create their own bases while having the support of the broader
>>collective, enabling individuals not already in groups to be involved.
>>	How to organise for actions against smaller meetings in the lead-up to the 
>>July
>>G8 summit?
>>
>>Background of G8
>>Symbolic pact for reaffirming capitalism ­ media spectacle for ruling 
>>class.
>>G7 established in 1970s when the 7 largest economies came together to 
>>present a
>>common public face.
>>Promotion of free trade.
>>Attempts to hide this with spurious ‘ethical’ considerations, such as Tony 
>>Blair
>>promoting debt relief in Africa and a pro-environmental image.
>>Corporate-lead solutions.
>>Important decisions made in the G7 meetings in the run up to the G8 summit.
>>
>>For us ­ symbolic resistance of capitalism, feeding back into struggles,
>>photo-opportunities.
>>
>>Question ­ how do we counter Tony Blair’s whitewash (trade/environmental 
>>etc
>>arguments) with specific information?
>>World Development website re debt relief
>>Rising Tide website re climate change
>>Corporate Watch ­ producing a publication re the links between the G8 and
>>corporate-lead solutions.
>>Read lots!  It will be argued that protestors don’t like debt relief etc.  
>>We
>>have to counter the myths.
>>
>>Question ­ difference between G7 and G8?
>>Russia important symbolically (it has lots of nukes), but not financially.  
>>EU
>>also has a permanent seat.
>>
>>Comment ­ we should take notes from the official G8 website of their 
>>propaganda
>>and dispute specific myths.
>>
>>Comment ­ what will be decided at the G8?
>>Working groups will be set up, but mostly they present things as G8 
>>initiatives
>>when they are a mere continuation of existing structures.
>>
>>Question -  Practical plans for Gleneagles? (return to this later)
>>
>>Question - Centralised counter-info? A working group? No ­ individual 
>>groups.
>>
>>See University of Toronto’s ‘road to Gleneagles’ website.
>>
>>REGIONAL INTRODUCTION/FEEDBACK
>>What have people been doing re G8 and generally so far?
>>
>>ULUantiauthoritarians ­ new student and wider group, support and educate
>>students, support general struggles in London e.g. actions against the 
>>olympic
>>bid, Thessaloniki, Tom Ridge at LSE.
>>
>>Culture Jammers ­ established mid-Jan, plans for mass billboard campaigns,
>>disinformation, direct action in corporate meetings, VJ-ing at events ­
>>educating with images and music.
>>
>>Dissent climate action group and Rising Tide ­ focus on pre-summit 
>>environmental
>>meetings: 17/18th March environmental ministers and 8th July day of action
>>against climate change.
>>
>>Brighton Dissent ­ publicity against finance ministers and IMF meeting in 
>>Sussex
>>countryside 5th November 2004, caused havoc.
>>
>>Trident Ploughshares ­ mass day of action 2 days before summit at Faslane
>>military base, anti-militarist and anti-nuclear.  Transport to this may be
>>cheap way of getting to G8.
>>
>>Working group against work (part of Dissent network) ­ address everyday 
>>work
>>issues, precarity in terms of the G8.  spectacular anti-summit actions have
>>been criticised ­ look at the everyday.  planned action against G7 
>>employment
>>ministers meeting.
>>
>>www.g8bikeride.org.uk - bike ride from London to G8 2 weeks before summit, 
>>visit
>>places en route to highlight sustainability issues, building publicity.
>>
>>WOMBLES ­ beyond esf, blockades in SE during summit, want to organise 
>>workshops
>>before summit.
>>
>>Pagan Activists ­ pagan anarchists keen to be involved with anti-G8
>>
>>Queeruption ­ networking with European autonomist queers and feminists to 
>>help
>>establish convergence space etc.
>>
>>Reading dissent ­ organise benefits/films to raise awareness
>>
>>Corporate Watch ­ organising pamphlet re corporate involvement with G8
>>
>>Cambridge dissent ­ part of climate action network
>>
>>Rhythms of Resistance ­ have discussed what to do re G8 but nothing 
>>conclusive
>>
>>Question ­ are communists/socialists welcome?
>>Yes! No!
>>Must subscribe to PGA hallmarks (see dissent website).  Hierarchical groups
>>cannot latch on and use the network as a way to promote their groups.
>>Important issue is the structure and operation of dissent rather than 
>>whether
>>it is open to specific individuals or not.  Must be non-hierarchical, open 
>>to
>>anyone willing to work within the framework.
>>
>>COORDINATING ACTIVITIES
>>
>>Joint publicity?
>>
>>We got sidetracked onto
.transport ­ geography of area, plans of military? 
>>aim =
>>to stretch police force, so concentrate on Scotland, actions all around
>>Scotland, especially north of Gleneagles.  Red zone around Gleneagles, 
>>people
>>in the area have been given ID cards.
>>
>>Join with other groups? ­ Make Poverty History and the G8 alternatives?
>>
>>Should we set up working groups to look at transport etc?
>>
>>Publicity ­
>>
>>Website/posters/leaflets ­ increase visibility of movement ­ joint identity
>>Working groups would be useful
>>Stickers ­ quick and really good way of getting the message out.
>>Separate SE website or too much overlap with dissent site?
>>Types of propaganda not mutually exclusive, make all.
>>Download propaganda from dissent site?
.aim = to set up SE network, focus 
>>on
>>anti-G8 not just dissent.
>>Convey disinformation to the Scottish police ­ disinform people in 
>>movement? ­
>>means we become part of the problem? ­ ways of working it out so we confuse 
>>the
>>police but not protestors
.
>>Shouldn’t marginalise ourselves.
>>Point of SE coordination is to collectively produce propaganda in a way not
>>possible for local groups.
>>Don’t want to make more work for ourselves than we have to ­ something 
>>simple
>>e.g. simple poster with picture, 3 or 4 sentences, contacts for all groups
>>involved, website address.
>>Reason to have SE website is because dissent site is confusing.
>>Working group should be set up to establish the collective propaganda 
>>aesthetic.
>>
>>Structure of assembly etc?
>>-    how will it work re people from different regions of the SE?
>>-	how formal is the structure in terms of working groups reporting back/who 
>>are
>>they responsible to and how?
>>-	how often should the assembly meet?
once a month.  Decisions made in 
>>working
>>groups.  Join email list for announcements.
>>-	No point meeting if nothing to coordinate
>>
>>VOTE ­ publicity working group established
>>
>>London imperialism ­ make sure it is a real SE group, not biased towards 
>>London.
>>  If assembly meetings were more frequent, not really viable for groups out 
>>of
>>London to get there.
>>
>>Accommodation in Scotland ­ big job to organise, think about randoms 
>>turning up.
>>  Groups in Scotland said they’d like people to go up before summit to help 
>>with
>>build up.
>>
>>Accountability of working groups? ­ through emails/smaller groups, don’t 
>>want to
>>delay autonomous actions.  Don’t want to micromanage everything.
>>
>>Do we need a media working group?
>>
>>Should list the working groups that should be established. Possibilities ­
>>transport, publicity, accommodation (numbers, non UK people), legal, media,
>>logistics/liaising/convergence with Scotland.
>>
>>Transport
>>Need to make collective decisions re mass transport before working group is 
>>set
>>up?
.train may be safer than coaches/cars, people may feel more comfortable
>>travelling en masse, helps to get new people involved. Plug for G8 bike 
>>ride!
>>Train seems like a popular plan.  Note that may be a problem being stopped 
>>at
>>end of train journey.  T in the park 12 miles from Gleneagles on 9th/10th
>>July
loads of camper vans in the area
.
>>
>>Transport working group? Yes! They should research prices etc and pros/cons 
>>of
>>travelling en masse and report back at next assembly meeting.
>>
>>Medics working group? Not sure.  Training, how many? Transport for them? 
>>Free
>>training at Barthes London medical school.
>>
>>Need coordinators for working groups, people volunteered, need more than 
>>one for
>>logistics.
>>
>>Legal working group ­ need legal observers, wider dissent legal groups in 
>>SE
>>anyway.  Dissent producing a guide to scottish law.
>>Direct action working group? Seeds of Change training for trainers 18-20 
>>March
>>in non-violent direct action.
>>
>>Should we use corporate media at all and have a media working group? 
>>Dissent
>>policy on media ­ no one can speak fro the whole group. No working group, 
>>but
>>maybe have a contact in case we feel the need to liaise with corporate 
>>media at
>>some point, up to individual groups.
>>
>>Contact people we know in Scottish dissent re accommodation.
>>
>>MOBILISING
>>
>>Timeline of events up to summit:
>>
>>Feb 4/5 G7 finance ministers London
>>March 10/11 G8 employment London
>>March 15/16 energy and environment London
>>March 17/18 G8 environment and development Derbyshire
>>May 1st MAYDAY
>>June 10/11 G7 finance London
>>June 16/17 G8 justice and interior Sheffield
>>
>>How do we mobilise?
>>
>>People will feedback to their own groups re discussion at assembly.
>>
>>Arrange fundraising events in small groups, then bring funds to next 
>>assembly
>>meeting.
>>
>>Contact convergence group in Scotland and bring a report to next assembly 
>>so
>>that we can proceed with a working group for that later.
>>
>>Coordinate a general email list, separate from the working group lists.
>>
>>Proposal for collective actions re events in run up to summit. e.g. 
>>employement
>>meeting ­ actions at key job centres, focus on reforming the dole,
>>casualisation, wages ­ party in a job centre? ­ actions against ‘action for
>>employment’ who put people on the New Deal.
>>
>>Need visible actions before summit. Agreed that we’ll target the individual
>>meetings in the run-up to the summit.
>>
>>People who are already mobilising for specific actions to talk and set up
>>working groups e.g. rising tide focusing on environmental meetings.
>>
>>Should do something for finance meeting 4/5 Feb even though it’s very 
>>imminent
>>e.g. banner-drop.  Make sure we have presence.
>>
>>Important to mobilise for finance meeting a month before the G8, especially 
>>for
>>people who can't make the actual summit.  Gets people interested.
>>
>>People worried about arrests at small actions, which would mean people 
>>couldn't
>>go to summit.  English/welsh bail conditions don’t apply in scotland.
>>
>>Important to know exactly what issues are going to be discussed at smaller
>>meetings.  How? ­ publicity working group.  Working groups according to 
>>topics
>>e.g. all environmental groups liaising, creates mobilisation specific to G8
>>through common interests, wider involvement. e.g. trade unions re 
>>employment.
>>
>>Employment meeting ­ the working group against work ­ will meet at 6pm Jan 
>>31st
>>at ULU gallery bar at the same time as ULUaa.
>>
>>Make sure we post all actions on indymedia.
>>
>>Environmental meetings ­ Earth First winter moot on 4/5th Feb ­ discuss the 
>>G8
>>there.
>>
>>Maintaining coordination/Moving things forward
>>
>>Reporting back from working groups ­ post minutes to email list two weeks 
>>before
>>assembly meeting, then discuss issues in physical meeting.  Working groups 
>>to
>>make sure they meet asap, preferably in the next week.
>>
>>Some things cannot be said on email lists, easier to be infiltrated on 
>>email
>>lists.  Be careful!
>>
>>Process between now and next assembly meeting? Minutes posted.  ULUaa to
>>organise next assembly meet, then to pass round the responsibility, 3rd 
>>meet
>>not in London.
>>
>>NEXT ASSEMBLY MEET: SATURDAY 26TH FEBRUARY probably at ULU
>>
>>Working groups to bring ideas.  Publicity to bring a mutually pleasing 
>>aesthetic
>>design for general leaflets/stickers/posters etc.  Make sure pdf versions
>>available.  All to bring funds from any events put on.  Some people to 
>>organise
>>gigs etc in the mean time.
>>
>>People have signed up to relevant working group email lists and will 
>>coordinate
>>between now and 26th.
>>
>>Action Feb 4/5th to go ahead in the mean time.  Plans to be posted on 
>>general
>>list.
>>
>>

>>-----------------
>>
>>This lists welcomes practical organising and networking information
>>related to resiting the g8 summit in 2005.
>>
>>More information on the list, including how to unsubscribe,
>>can be found at:
>>http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/resistg82005
>>
>>Political discussions relating to the Dissent! network can
>>be engaged in at:
>>http://www.enrager.net/forums/viewforum.php?f=67
>>
>>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, our organising
>>starting point, see:
>>http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/free/pga/hallm.htm
>>
>