Group I: Blockades

Intro (by organisers)
Blockades list address is on the Website.

Trident Ploughshares and CND are organizing a blockade of Faslane nuclear submarine base on 4th July. They've called for a non-violence approach.

Dissent! blockades early on the 6th, with the aim of stopping the delegates arriving. Dissent! is trying to work out a way of coordinating autonomous blockades using different styles.

Discussion Points:

• Does everyone support the strategy of blockades (given the impact on people in northern Scotland)?
• Timing, is 6th too late to disrupt the summit?
• Road or rail blockading?
• Should we focus on Gleneagles, or are there other hotels/sites of value to the summiteers?
• The top delegates can be moved by helicopter, but not all the personnel (aides, translators, chefs, etc.) cannot. Police and media are expected to be at Stirling; caterers at Crieff.

History of pickets/blockades in Britain

In 1970s there were many successful mass blockades in strikes, including miners strikes; in 1980s police tried and often succeeded in preventing movement of pickets.

There has also been a tradition of using smaller numbers with special equipment, i.e. lock-on tubes, tripods, etc. but there is a pool of expertise amongst the police in dealing with this.

Crowds of school children in antiwar protests have routinely out-manouvered police in Scotland.

Brain-storm

• Blocking the A9 only would divert a high volume of traffic on to minor roads, which can't handle them.
• The size of the red zone is not known yet.
• The number of people who turn up will dictate tactics.
• Terrain dictates tactics, so reconnaissance important.
• How do we organize communication? (Separation of blockades dictates autonomy anyway).
• Do we respect diversity of tactics (in different places, obviously)?
• There was some discussion and criticism of the colour-coded approach (as per Prague).

Proposal: "We object to the illegitimate G8 summit going ahead, and we call for a blockade of the routes into Gleneagles Hotel on 6th July; if the G8 does not go ahead, we will reconsider our call", (carried by unanimous consent).

Group II: Climate change group against the G8

July the 8th - international day against the profit makers of climate change

There is an environment minister meeting before the summit. 16th/17th of March. Often the ministers meetings are very important as decisions get taken there and problems get smoothed out before the actual summit.

A climate group has been created between climate chaos groups, road protests network and is trying to work together with other environmental groups.

Research has been done by Corporate Watch and produces a lot of information about the oil industry in Scotland. A booklet about the different action targets is being put together.

The day of action on the 8th has been announced publicly, but not the target. If we only work with affinity groups then we could avoid announcing it and keeping the target secret. There is also an idea to do simultaneous actions at different targets.

An email list has been set up to co-ordinate events and actions
g8climateactionlists.riseup.net

Opinions:

• There was a proposal to ask the caravan to Katmandu start on the same day as the climate day of action.
• It would be good to have one kind of public action.
• The question is if there actually are affinity groups who would like to work on that.
• People in Paris are working on decrease in consumption and are also thinking about doing actions.
• It would be good to have the public action as a reclaim the streets party

Group III: Action Group Meeting: People's Golfing Association

About 20 people attended the meeting:

• Enthusiasm was expressed for two events:
  • The PGA tournament called for July 7th will go ahead with the goal to get to Gleneagles golf course or as close as possible for a game of golf. It was suggested that this could take the form of a competition with various foursomes and other affinity groups scattering towards the course in a "scramble" type golf tournament (which is an actual type of tournament).
  • The second idea came from a concern that as people may be tired, arrested or have low energy for July 7th, using mini/crazy golf as a mobile blockade in a similar fashion to the pink fairies in Prague. Thus, golfers would just pop-up for spontaneous golfing actions and therefore, if there were blockades, there would be an opportunity for spontaneous golf. Golf was thus viewed as a theatrical device.
• There was recognition of the symbolism behind golf, the various metaphors and how it can be drawn upon. One suggestion was give around the G8 countries "playing with" the rest of the world i.e. Developing world countries are golf balls to be played with. Rich countries are playing with poor countries. It was also suggested that countries not in the G8 could be portrayed as caddies.
• It was noted that people in Russia are looking to do a parallel golfing action during the G8 Summit which may involve golf in front of the British embassy.
• Suggestions were made to
  • Develop alternative rules for golf
  • Graphically design alternative score cards
  • Develop alternative dress codes for golf
  • Suggestions were made to put up a score board during the lead up to the Summit to advertise the event and recruit more golfers for the July 7th action. It was also felt that a strategic meeting at the convergence space would be necessary to coordinate the tournament.
• As golf is a Scottish national past time, it was felt that the emphasis should be clearly placed on Gleneagles and the G8 so as to not confuse Scottish people that golf in general is being critiqued.
• It was recognised that golf was able to converge with hill walking and/or blockades
• It was suggested that there should be certain meting points devised for golfers to meet.
• A suggestion was made to contact the UK group "Space Hijackers"
• The dilemma of the July 7th date was mentioned. It was felt that is was necessary to have a date for people to focus towards but also that golfing actions can be throughout the Summit. It was noted that a tee time was needed for July 7, 2005.
• The question around a media strategy for the golfing action was raised. Is there a media strategy? If so, what is it?
• Questions around "What the point?" of the golfing action were raised.
• Guerrilla gardening was suggested for golf courses.
• Security concerns were raised over the police perception of hundreds of golfers with clubs and it was felt that this must be tactically thought out as the police could easily "Section 44" golfers and say that clubs constitute a weapon. One suggestion around this was to build giant papier-mâché golf balls that can be pushed around by various golfers along with or in lieu of clubs. Giant cardboard golf clubs could also be built from cardboard tubes.

tübingen minutes – news – resist g8 2005 – www.agp.org