I am not convinced that flying or taking a car to Genoa is in the spirit of the protests. I think it causes far too much pollution than is justified and that it would be far better to take part in an action closer to home such as Campsfield.
Genoa will have tens of thousands of people there, and it might make a bigger difference if the people who have been let down by the train plans go to Campsfield or somewhere instead of to Genoa.

wow! hah! the SWP cannot spread their propaganda here and take credit for (organising) the Genoa protests. some off us are beaming down here in genoa! the movement is saved!

Nice one mate. I am not, and would not dream of being a member of any Trotskyist party. I was going on the GR train as it seemed the most environmentally sound way of getting there. If you are representative of the people who I'd have met in Genoa (which I am sure you aren't) then I am glad I'm not going. The SWP will still be able to "spread their propaganda" whether or not this train is going. I am afraid people like you put people off revolutionary politics all together - something you'd accuse the SWP of doing, non doubt.

TWAT

Yeah, I can see both sides. At the end of the day when we're looking at getting 100,000 people in Genoa it makes no odds if 500 brits don't make it.

Shows that having one big body organising things is not such a good idea as it gives the authorities one easy target.

Apart from the ones I'm looking forward to joining on the Globalise Resistance busses from London (if the're still running) there'll be virtually no brit trots in Genoa. Oh dear oh dear! Where is everyone going to buy the newspaper from?

Not once have they suggested doing an action at home which was my first thought when our coach was cancelled. Could one argue that they're only interested in the spectacular events and not in grass roots activism ? Hmmm.

However, the train was an eco-friendly way to get there, second only to hitching, and encouraging people to go by plane is a bit pish.

So what if the SWP have something to say? Personally, I don't toe their party line. But for fuck's sake, shouldn't we be coming together?

It's about much more than adding 500 odd to the number of demonstrators in Genoa. Everyone in Genoa will bring inspiration and anti-capitalist ideas back to their workplace, college, friends, etc. The point is not that the same anti-capitalists simply hop from one summit to another, but that by activists "spreading propaganda" (a diverse range of propaganda - I'm not in favour of censorship inside the movement) the 500 can become 5000 next time. That's grass-roots activism for you.

Big mobilisations like Genoa are important, because they give confidence and hope to people all over the world engaged in fighting the system. Just look at Seattle. Big mobilisations also help shift the political landscape. Just look at Seattle. No-one is arguing they are substitutes for local actions - on the contrary, the two build each other.

For those reason alone any serious anti-capitalist should be with GR on this one. It's a shame that 'fuckoffGlobaliseResistance@made my day!.com' has decided to side with the French government against 500 anti-capitalists. How authoritarian!

'Eyes' must have been closed for the last year and failed to notice the grass-roots activity by Brighton Collective activists (a bit odd seeing as he is from Brighton). I distinctly remember missing the 'spectacular' May Day protests in London myself this year in favour of joining a picket of Gap in Brighton.

And don't worry, 'eyes', Socialist Worker will be available in Genoa! How about sharing some positive ideas with us instead of slagging off other people's? The anti-capitalist movement has got to be inclusive not exclusive, so by all means let's carry on debating the issues, but let's stop the Life Of Brian impressions and get on with the grass-roots activism that will involve the sorts of numbers that will really change the world (me and you won't change it on our own, you know).

Stephen Church (Brighton SWP)

Dear "GR-hater" and others,

I can't believe that any serious activist would be happy to hear that opponents of the G8 summit of any political stripe would be barred by the authorities from going to Genoa.

Besides the fact that I'm sure there were plenty of non-SWP members planning to take the train, there are some pretty basic principles at stake here: that we're all on the same side against corporate greed and that an injury to one is an injury to all. The stopping of the GR train sets a bad precedent for the restriction of movement by protestors, and this should be opposed by all.

Here in N. America, socialists vigorously campaigned for the release for anarchist Jaggi Singh, who was arrested in Quebec. Despite our political differences, it was clear enough whose side we were on in that situation.

Judging by some of the crap I've been seeing on Indymedia UK, some of you need to figure out who the real enemy is in the fight against global capitalism.