G8 panic: Police confiscate children's bikes
The German police’s security measures are becoming more and more bizarre.
Yesterday, as activists and citizens began to flood the Rostock region
in Germany to protest the upcoming G8 summit, police repression has
become humorous, but still more restrictive.
On Wednesday the police prevented the building of a legitimate protest
camp in Wichmannsdorf because of the “well-founded suspicion that stolen
bicycles from around the country are being brought to Heiligendamm.”
Yesterday outside of Rostock police used mobile checkpoints to search
traffic for stolen bicycles, comparing the bicycle’s license numbers
with their databases.
Children’s bicycles and older bikes without the now customary ID numbers
were seized. Meanwhile in Sherwin protests have been restricted by the
courts because of police claims of a “state of emergency” due to a
shortage of available police.
In preparation for the G8 summit, the German government has begun their
largest security operation since World War II, employing over 16,000
police in the area of Rostock and Heiligendamm. Repressive measures in
the last month have brought harsh public criticism on the government.
Last month In Hamburg and Berlin numerous activists’ homes and offices
were raided for information. I some cases the police have taken “scent
sample” from activists so that they can be tracked by dogs, presumably
during the summit.
Now protestors who have brought bicycles to provide ecological
transportation during the summit have also met difficulty “With our
request to repair old and unused bicycles we want to help solve the
transportation problems,” says Petra Fröhlich.
Activists see a deliberate attempt to impede the preparations for the
protests. “The accusation of stolen goods is absurd,” criticized Petra
Fröhlich. ”A glance at the shoddy old bikes shows that they have been
lying around in basements and attics, clearly not worth stealing. Only
through hours of work were the bikes made useable again.”
Environmental activists were also critical of the security measures.
“While the German government is trying to cast itself as climate
defender at the G8 Conference, it is hindering the use of ecological
transportation,” complained Marcel Grünau, who was setting up a tent
with other teenage ecological activists. It gives him another reason to
protest on the streets against G8 – on his bicycle. He, like many
others, supports the idea of “action-bikes” and managed to reach the
Baltic with several bicycles. Now he hopes to be able to keep a
wheel’s length ahead of the police and G8.
in Germany to protest the upcoming G8 summit, police repression has
become humorous, but still more restrictive.
On Wednesday the police prevented the building of a legitimate protest
camp in Wichmannsdorf because of the “well-founded suspicion that stolen
bicycles from around the country are being brought to Heiligendamm.”
Yesterday outside of Rostock police used mobile checkpoints to search
traffic for stolen bicycles, comparing the bicycle’s license numbers
with their databases.
Children’s bicycles and older bikes without the now customary ID numbers
were seized. Meanwhile in Sherwin protests have been restricted by the
courts because of police claims of a “state of emergency” due to a
shortage of available police.
In preparation for the G8 summit, the German government has begun their
largest security operation since World War II, employing over 16,000
police in the area of Rostock and Heiligendamm. Repressive measures in
the last month have brought harsh public criticism on the government.
Last month In Hamburg and Berlin numerous activists’ homes and offices
were raided for information. I some cases the police have taken “scent
sample” from activists so that they can be tracked by dogs, presumably
during the summit.
Now protestors who have brought bicycles to provide ecological
transportation during the summit have also met difficulty “With our
request to repair old and unused bicycles we want to help solve the
transportation problems,” says Petra Fröhlich.
Activists see a deliberate attempt to impede the preparations for the
protests. “The accusation of stolen goods is absurd,” criticized Petra
Fröhlich. ”A glance at the shoddy old bikes shows that they have been
lying around in basements and attics, clearly not worth stealing. Only
through hours of work were the bikes made useable again.”
Environmental activists were also critical of the security measures.
“While the German government is trying to cast itself as climate
defender at the G8 Conference, it is hindering the use of ecological
transportation,” complained Marcel Grünau, who was setting up a tent
with other teenage ecological activists. It gives him another reason to
protest on the streets against G8 – on his bicycle. He, like many
others, supports the idea of “action-bikes” and managed to reach the
Baltic with several bicycles. Now he hopes to be able to keep a
wheel’s length ahead of the police and G8.
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Ergänzungen
traduzione in italiano
Le misure di sicurezza della polizia tedesca stanno diventando sempre più bizzarre. Ieri (31 maggio), quando attivisti e cittadini stavano iniziando a invadere la zona di Rostock, in Germania, per le proteste contro il summit del G8, la repressione poliziesca è diventata divertente, ma sempre più restrittiva.
Mercoledì la polizia aveva impedito la costruzione a Wichmannsdorf di un campeggio (di protesta) autorizzato, motivando il provvedimento con "fondati sospetti di furti di biciclette avvenuti in giro per il paese, biciclette portate poi a Heiligendamm".
Ieri fuori Rostock, la polizia ha organizzato posti di blocco mobili per cercare questo traffico di biciclette rubate, comparando i numeri di matricola con quelli nei loro elenchi.
Biciclette da bambino, e vecchi esemplari senza il numero identificativo (che si trova su quelle moderne), sono state sequestrate.
Intanto a Sherwin le proteste sono state sottoposte a restrizioni dal tribunale perchè la polizia ha denunciato una carenza di personale per fronteggiare lo "stato di emergenza" in atto.
In vista del summit del G8, il governo tedesco ha iniziato la sua più grossa operazione di sicurezza dalla seconda guerra mondiale, impiegando più di 16000 poliziotti nell'area di Rostock e Heiligendamm. Misure repressive nell'ultimo mese hanno scatenato aspre critiche nei confronti del governo.
Nell'ultimo mese ad Amburgo e a Berlino numerose case e sedi di attivisti sono state perquisite per raccogliere informazioni. In alcuni casi la polizia ha raccolto dei campioni per utilizzarli con i cani per tenere traccia delle persone, probabilmente durante il summit.
Ora sono in difficoltà anche i manifestanti che s'erano portati dietro le bici per fornire un trasporto ecologico durante il summit. "Con la nostra proposta di riparare le bici vecchie e non utilizzate, vogliamo dare una mano a risolvere i problemi di trasporto.", ha detto Petra Fröhlich.
Gli attivisti vedono un deliberato tentativo di impedire i preparativi delle proteste. "L'accusa di furto è assurda," critica Petra
Fröhlich. "Un'occhiata alle vecchie e sgangherate biciclette rendeva palese che si trovavano in cantine e soffitte, chiaramente non valeva la pena rubarle. Solo dopo ore di lavoro le bici erano state rese nuovamente utilizzabili".
Anche gli ambentalisti hanno criticato le misure di sicurezza. "Mentre il governo tedesco sta tentando, alla conferenza del G8, di autoproclamarsi come difensore del clima, sta ostacolando l'utilizzo del trasporto ecologico," ha protestato Marcel Grünau, che ha piantato una tenda con altri giovani ambientalisti. Questa cosa gli ha fornito un altro motivo per scendere in piazza contro il G8 - sulla sua bicicletta. Lui, come molti altri, sostengono l'idea delle "azioni in bicicletta" a hanno progettato di raggiungere il Mar Baltico con numerose biciclette. Adesso spera di essere in grado di stare in vantaggio di una ruota sulla alla polizia e sul G8.
superlatives not needed
with about a number of 20.000 policemen in the late nineties castor transports, the force of power was more higher than in G 8 now.
The point was not the number itself, that they ran against 25 .000 people in the area of gorleben, it is the key of "power-control" to "person"(no matter if "protester" or not)that makes the repression factor.
This key in g8 area is not as high with this number yet.
Makes it not easier to demonstrate, but should motivate more;-)
thx for info anyway, a copy of my bike bill is been packed to my things now, too
ride em down babylon