Copenhagen: Police tried to stop a demo
Last week this resulted in major disruptions of traffic and allowed activist a chance to disrupt a popular live broadcast in national TV.
This week however was a different story. For the first time in quite a while the police sought direct confrontation. An hour before the demo was to start a heavy police presence was reported. As the demonstrators began gathering on a plaza large groups of police officers walked criss-cross through the crowd questioning people, shoving their way through and shouted at the group leading the demo.
When the demo got underway the cops followed not at their usual 20 meters but at 2-3ms, often getting out of the cars to harass members of the demo. When the demo made it clear that it wouldn't accept this behaviour the cops retired to their cars only to have it all repeated five minutes later.
As the demo reached it's end point just outside the most expensive shopping area in Copenhagen, it was quite clear that it wouldn't end peacefully. Several hours of open aggression and provocation from the police combined with a massive police presence on the exit route from the area had angered the demonstrators.
To shouts of "Get the cops in their cars, set the cars on fire!" a spontaneous demo tried to form to transport everybody back to the starting point of the demo. This was however quickly blocked by police being followed by a chaotic back and forth of recklessly driving police vans and activists literally running for their lives. A few bottles were thrown and then the crowd dispersed into smaller groups trying to get away as fast as possible.
The cops proceeded to clean up the streets by sending out "hunting parties" in vans rounding up groups or individual activists. In one case a smaller group of activists get boxed in between cops and the wall of a church. According to an eyewitness one cop shouted "Grab the sticks - it's hunting time!" just before the group was charged and beaten severely.
Several more incidents of extremely violent arrests are reported during the evening - most involve very young people being beaten and put into the illegal "leg-locks". Several of those arrested say that a 14 year old girl was beaten badly on the floor of a police van and had her head rammed against a metal support pillar in the station house.
In the end only 14 people are arrested, all of them between 14 (legally minor) and 17 years of age. They have all been released.
For some months now the police have taken on a very passive role during demos. The shift is very sudden and violent. Why it has happened is uncertain but much speculation connects it with the downward spiral in the negotiations for a new house. The theory is that if a big confrontation can be provoked the city council can politically withdraw their support for negotiations. Whatever the reason the pressure is definitely building.
This week however was a different story. For the first time in quite a while the police sought direct confrontation. An hour before the demo was to start a heavy police presence was reported. As the demonstrators began gathering on a plaza large groups of police officers walked criss-cross through the crowd questioning people, shoving their way through and shouted at the group leading the demo.
When the demo got underway the cops followed not at their usual 20 meters but at 2-3ms, often getting out of the cars to harass members of the demo. When the demo made it clear that it wouldn't accept this behaviour the cops retired to their cars only to have it all repeated five minutes later.
As the demo reached it's end point just outside the most expensive shopping area in Copenhagen, it was quite clear that it wouldn't end peacefully. Several hours of open aggression and provocation from the police combined with a massive police presence on the exit route from the area had angered the demonstrators.
To shouts of "Get the cops in their cars, set the cars on fire!" a spontaneous demo tried to form to transport everybody back to the starting point of the demo. This was however quickly blocked by police being followed by a chaotic back and forth of recklessly driving police vans and activists literally running for their lives. A few bottles were thrown and then the crowd dispersed into smaller groups trying to get away as fast as possible.
The cops proceeded to clean up the streets by sending out "hunting parties" in vans rounding up groups or individual activists. In one case a smaller group of activists get boxed in between cops and the wall of a church. According to an eyewitness one cop shouted "Grab the sticks - it's hunting time!" just before the group was charged and beaten severely.
Several more incidents of extremely violent arrests are reported during the evening - most involve very young people being beaten and put into the illegal "leg-locks". Several of those arrested say that a 14 year old girl was beaten badly on the floor of a police van and had her head rammed against a metal support pillar in the station house.
In the end only 14 people are arrested, all of them between 14 (legally minor) and 17 years of age. They have all been released.
For some months now the police have taken on a very passive role during demos. The shift is very sudden and violent. Why it has happened is uncertain but much speculation connects it with the downward spiral in the negotiations for a new house. The theory is that if a big confrontation can be provoked the city council can politically withdraw their support for negotiations. Whatever the reason the pressure is definitely building.
Indymedia ist eine Veröffentlichungsplattform, auf der jede und jeder selbstverfasste Berichte publizieren kann. Eine Überprüfung der Inhalte und eine redaktionelle Bearbeitung der Beiträge finden nicht statt. Bei Anregungen und Fragen zu diesem Artikel wenden sie sich bitte direkt an die Verfasserin oder den Verfasser.
(Moderationskriterien von Indymedia Deutschland)
(Moderationskriterien von Indymedia Deutschland)
Ergänzungen
G13 vil spærre politikere inde på rådhuset
Aktionsgruppen G13 vil spærre Borgerrepræsentationen inde på Københavns Rådhus, til de har udpeget et nyt ungdomshus
Det skal ske i forbindelse med et møde i Borgerrepræsentationen 21. februar. Mødet er det sidste før etårsdagen for rydningen af Ungdomshuset.
»Den dag vil vi gerne sørge for, at de når hele dagsordenen og finder et nyt ungdomshus til København. Derfor har vi tænkt os at belejre Borgerrepræsentationen, så de ikke går hjem, før de er færdige«, siger en aktivist ved navn Lars, hvis efternavn er redaktionen bekendt.
G13 mønstrede 3.000 aktivister i oktober
Blokaden bliver gennemført under navnet Blok R (endnu ikke aktiv, red.), og der er allerede holdt et planlægningsmøde med 100 deltagere.
Da de unge aktionerede under navnet G13, lykkedes det under stor mediebevågenhed at samle mindst 3.000 aktivister til en ikkevoldelig besættelse af bygninger på adressen Grøndalsvænge 13 i København.
Ved den lejlighed var politiet mødt talstærkt op, og selv om gruppen regnede aktionen som vellykket, lykkedes det ikke at besætte grunden. Til gengæld vakte det opsigt, at G13 på forhånd var åbne om gruppens mål og virkemidler. Samme strategi vil blive brugte denne gang.
»Det er muligt, politiet vil møde talstærkt op, men vi fik jo med G13 vist, at vi kan mange ting. Så selv om de udkommanderer hele politistyrken, kan det godt være svært at holde styr på alle de unge mennesker i København, som vil have et ungdomshus«, siger aktivisten Lars.
Vil ikke true sig til hus
Aktivisterne vil blokere udgangene fra rådhuset, fordi de mener, at processen omkring etableringen af et nyt ungdomshus går alt for langsomt. Møder med overborgmester Ritt Bjerregaard har resulteret i hensigtserklæringer - men ikke et konkret hus.
»Vi kan ikke bureaukratiseres væk, og vi kan ikke holde folkekøkken og koncerter i en hensigtserklæring«, siger Lars.
Han mener ikke, at aktionens virkemiddel kan kaldes frihedsberøvelse af lokalpolitikerne, og frygter heller ikke, at belejringen af det politiske møde kan koste ungdomshusmiljøet det hus, der forhandles om.
»Blokaden er jo et gammelkendt virkemiddel, også kendt fra fagkampe. Vi skal ikke ud at konfrontere nogen eller true nogen til noget. Vi vil bare sikre, at den her sag bliver fulgt til dørs«, siger aktivisten Lars.