At around six am we could already hear the mumbling of activists up and about, readying for action. Getting up at seven, we felt veritably lazy as we noticed that most people were already off site. As we headed off to join the workshops of the alternative summit, Tamsyn and I took note of the latest info-posts at the entrance: blockaders were to be at various regional locations, conveniently close to the G8 HQ, by 8am; blockaders were to change meeting points as the local supermarket had been surrounded; anyone left at a loose end was to go to the prison for support.
As we arrived in town, amid constant distant sirens and chopper sounds, it was hard not to feel that we were missing the action. But moments later we spy about 40 inconspicious people wallking casually with their towels under an arm or over a shoulder. Sensing something afoot, Tamsyn and I decided to pursue them. Presently, we arrived at the harbour to find the group carrying a giant polystyrene baby into the sea. Sabrina from Canada explained: "We created a giant black baby to symbolise Africa and now we, as white rich people, are going to go and clamber all over it. We want to make it into a short film". A bit abstract maybe, but her group, Dropping Knowledge, are a multi-media network formed around the G8 who believe in ´copy-left´ knowledge-sharing who want to tell the stories of G8 exploitation in a unique and creative way, "Every seven seconds an African baby dies, and yet the G8 still claims to be helping."
It certainly caught my imagination- especially when, as the activists jumped into the harbour to begin their theatre, the poor child´s head came off and its body split in two, making a truly macabre, perhaps even more powerful statement.All this before 10 am!
A morning of enthusiastic plenaries followed, interspersed with updates from the ensuing blockades, as they moved ever nearer to the fences of Heiligendamm (or ´the evil empire´ as blockaders call it) We hear from some South-West London WDMers that they have successfully blockaded a major route into the compound, along with 1000 other colourful and spirited activists. One said: "As we neared the target road, police tried to intimidate us, and began using tear gas and water cannons. It was really tense and people dispersed but we followed specific flags that led us through fields so we could reform and push on. In the end we stayed in the road all day, the police didn´t seem to be arresting much at all" Organisers have claimed 10,000 protestors succeeded in blockading the meeting from all sides at various points in the day.
Once again, WDM has succeeded in being both part of challenging the illegitimate G8 talking shop and the envisioning another world through strengthening the alternative ideas. Now surely that calls for a beer!
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