G8 Protest - A Huge Success : Melbourne Indymedia

Looking at the photos of the anti-G8 protests online today it is clear that the social movement for global peace and justice is alive and kicking. Although mainstream press reports have predictably labelled the protest as contained and a failure it is obvious from online coverage on particularly on U.K. Indymedia that despite the 18,000 police deployed - ten thousand demonstrators who camped in the area around the G8 meeting in Germany that have been able to undertake hugely disruptive, peaceful and spiritid non-violent civil disobedience.
The photos of thousands of demonstrators peacefully facing off to riot police really looks like the protest has the same peaceful, celebratory vibe that we saw in Melbourne on the at the S11 demonstrations in 200 against the WEF. The photos revealling smiling, peaceful defiance at its best. The police with their water canons and robo-cop gear look overwhelmed and unsure how to tackle the thousands on the blockades.
The German protesters took a very simple approach - blocking the access roads into the summitt. They accepted that delegates would be flown in but the thousands of support staff and supplies are needed to keep a summitt like this stocked with fresh caviar etc So the simple act of sitting on a road is hugely effective. If only we had taken a similar approach against the recent G20 protests in Melbourne!
The determination of the crowds is inspiring - when German police blocked and detained people on buses heading to the perimeter fence of the G8 summitt - they simply walked in huge convoys the 14 miles to the fence. Many thousands have also stayed out to brave the cold, diminished numbers and increased risk of police violence to stay on blockade gates overnight.
Power to the People! May they continue their peaceful resistance against the assembled war criminals and planet destroyers assembled within the gates. The criminal cabal of the world leaders cant be trusted to meet together without endangering the safety of others. To think that Bush and Putin and co are really interested in helping the worlds poor and combatting climate change is beyond a joke. This G8 has been met not with celebrity politics and concerts but a determined peaceful army of protesters. Fantastic stuff!

See links to photos and stories below

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/06/06/18425401.php

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/05/371754.html

http://de.indymedia.org/ticker/en/