Full Feature: G8 Protests. Sunday, 1 June 2003
imc uk | 13.06.2003 17:26
This feature indludes all links from previous imc uk sunday june 1st versions, plus significant links from various collections. imc uk newswire posts from after June 4th are not likely to be included.
No Roads Lead to Evian
Sunday June 1st
On the main G8 protest day, cheerful crowds delayed the G8 summit for two hours. As early as 5am, protesters blocked crossroads in Lausanne, bridges in Geneva and main access roads from Annemasse towards Evian. Later police moved in everywhere with increasing heavyness: mass arrests, heavy use of teargas, rubber bullets and concussion granades. All official demos during the afternoon were (unsuccessfully) prohibited. 2 men were seriously injured. Many locals took to the streets against german riot police who appeared out of control in Geneva, offered water to teargassed crowds in Lausanne and were generally very supportive.
Resources & Collections
Maps Lausanne | Geneva | Annemasse | area
Imc-Uk Timeline | Summaries [1|2]
Press Releases (Legal Team): 03.06, en | Collection from 26.05 to 04.06 (fr) | 04.06. (fr)]
Video Collections: [imc it | v2v]
Pic Archives: [1 | 2]
Overviews: Dispatch | Global G8 Imc | Collection of most imc txt/pics/video/audio | Overview with extensive links (ne).
Sunday Morning
On the main G8 protest day, cheerful dancing crowds filled the area with rhythms, soundsystems, and colour as early as 5am.
The G8 summit was delayed for a couple of hours, as protesters blocked crossroads in Lausanne, bridges in Geneva [map | pics 1|2|3|4 | video | Dispatch] and main access roads from Annemasse towards Evian [map]
Mid-Day
Geneva The main demonstration [pics 1 | 2] reached a climax at mid-day, when 100 000 demonstrators from Geneva joined an equally large contingent from France at the French-Suisse border [pics].
On their way back to Geneva, they were attacked by German-speaking riot police. Photographer Guy Smallmann was shot in the leg by a targeted concussion grenade.
[ Press Release on Guy Smallmann]
St. Cergues Meanwhile, the "March on Evian" lifted the barricades on the road from Annemasse to Evian near St Cergues after having reached their objective: the G8 summit was delayed for 2 hours. About 3000 people had held the position with bonfires from 5 am to 1 pm despite tear gas and concussion grenades, generously supported by locals. Some arrests were made.
[map] [Pics 1 | ] [Pics & Reports: 8 - 9am | First Teargassing (ge) | 7 Hours Blockade (ge)] [Reports: Summary | Setting Off | Blockade Dispatch: Summit delayed for two hours | ]
Lausanne At the same time, the legally approved Bourdonette protest village was besieged by police. On return to the village from the morning demo, the 1150 people present including locals from Bourdonette were threatenned with arrest unless they produced ID. An impressive solidarity sit-down kept the spirits high nevertheless [pics & report (ge)]. The camp was besieged until 5pm. Several hundred people were detained at a holding station at Mont-sur-Lausanne. At 3pm, it was announced that the camp would be evicted. Most arrestees were released within a few hours.
[Press Release Legal Team] [Pics Raid 1 | 2] [reports: 1 | 2]
Lausanne Most campers had spent the morning in Lausanne until teargas, water canons and concussion grenades drove them out of town. Dancing crowds and bikes [pic] disrupted the delegate's passage towards the ferry at a festive pink demonstration near the red zone in Lausanne, while Anthracites blocked roads. Later police pushed pink & anthracite into one demonstration.
[Photo Reports:'til 12.30 (ge) | Peaceful Blockade (ge)] [pics Pink & Anthracite | | ] [video]
Aubonne.At about 11am, two climbers and their supporters were ready to block the G8 convoy on the motorway Geneva-Lausanne at the bridge over the river Aubonne. Arriving police officers aggressively attempted to clear the motorway, and cut off the rope which was both blocking traffic and holding two climbers hanging from it from both sides of the bridge. Martin Shaw, one of the climbers, fell 20 meters deep into the stony river and injured his back and leg. He survived, but is still in hospital. His condition is stable.
[Reports: 1|2|3] [Pics 1]
Sunday Afternoon & Night
Geneva. From afternoon until late, police desperately tried to "clean up" the city. Their charging affected bypassers and demonstrators indiscriminately. They attacked protesters in front of the Museum of Natural History [pics], and there was street-fighting in other places, too. Protesters set fire to a petrol station [Dispatch] and looted a BP station [pics]. At 7pm, many demonstrators were still assembled in the streets, despite being teargassed and smashed to the ground. Meanwhile, local kids from the housing estates were fighting the police in the city center, who responded with tear gas. Two cops were taken away in ambulances.
[Reports: Geneva resident | local anger] [Summary] [Pics 1 | 2]
L'Usine.A focus of police attention in the evening between 8pm and 10.30pm was the Social Center L'Usine, which houses an independent media center. Groups of rioters were pushed towards L'Usine, and heavily attacked near the Maison d'Associations nearby. After surrounding L'Usine for about an hour, police raided the Social center, many of them dressed as protesters. Many of the 100 activists trapped inside were beaten up and had their passports confiscated, while others continued producing radio- and video streams as well as updating websites [pics]. 11 people were arrested and later released. Fighting continued until late [pics]
[L'Usine Press Releases: 03.06, fr | 06.06, en] [Reports: 1 of streaming crew | Eyewitness ] [Pics & Reports Outside l'Usine (it) | Raid 1 | 2]
Annemasse. Two demos supported the besieged L'usine and the people trapped in Geneva, being under heavy police presence themselves [Dispatch]. At midnight, they returned safely to the VAAG camp, while the police blocked the entrance to the motorway nearby.
Geneva Around 11pm, mainly young people were still fighting the police in central Geneva watched by locals, with property destruction on one side and water canons, rubber bullets and concussion grenades on the other. Police were charging around the "Place de Plainpalais" and isolated the Social Center Maison d'Associations.
We heard that at midnight that a fun-party was going on at Place de la Bastille, and at 1.30am, Geneva was quiet.
Sunday June 1st
On the main G8 protest day, cheerful crowds delayed the G8 summit for two hours. As early as 5am, protesters blocked crossroads in Lausanne, bridges in Geneva and main access roads from Annemasse towards Evian. Later police moved in everywhere with increasing heavyness: mass arrests, heavy use of teargas, rubber bullets and concussion granades. All official demos during the afternoon were (unsuccessfully) prohibited. 2 men were seriously injured. Many locals took to the streets against german riot police who appeared out of control in Geneva, offered water to teargassed crowds in Lausanne and were generally very supportive.
Resources & Collections
Maps Lausanne | Geneva | Annemasse | area
Imc-Uk Timeline | Summaries [1|2]
Press Releases (Legal Team): 03.06, en | Collection from 26.05 to 04.06 (fr) | 04.06. (fr)]
Video Collections: [imc it | v2v]
Pic Archives: [1 | 2]
Overviews: Dispatch | Global G8 Imc | Collection of most imc txt/pics/video/audio | Overview with extensive links (ne).
Sunday Morning
On the main G8 protest day, cheerful dancing crowds filled the area with rhythms, soundsystems, and colour as early as 5am.
The G8 summit was delayed for a couple of hours, as protesters blocked crossroads in Lausanne, bridges in Geneva [map | pics 1|2|3|4 | video | Dispatch] and main access roads from Annemasse towards Evian [map]
Mid-Day
Geneva The main demonstration [pics 1 | 2] reached a climax at mid-day, when 100 000 demonstrators from Geneva joined an equally large contingent from France at the French-Suisse border [pics].
On their way back to Geneva, they were attacked by German-speaking riot police. Photographer Guy Smallmann was shot in the leg by a targeted concussion grenade.
[ Press Release on Guy Smallmann]
St. Cergues Meanwhile, the "March on Evian" lifted the barricades on the road from Annemasse to Evian near St Cergues after having reached their objective: the G8 summit was delayed for 2 hours. About 3000 people had held the position with bonfires from 5 am to 1 pm despite tear gas and concussion grenades, generously supported by locals. Some arrests were made.
[map] [Pics 1 | ] [Pics & Reports: 8 - 9am | First Teargassing (ge) | 7 Hours Blockade (ge)] [Reports: Summary | Setting Off | Blockade Dispatch: Summit delayed for two hours | ]
Lausanne At the same time, the legally approved Bourdonette protest village was besieged by police. On return to the village from the morning demo, the 1150 people present including locals from Bourdonette were threatenned with arrest unless they produced ID. An impressive solidarity sit-down kept the spirits high nevertheless [pics & report (ge)]. The camp was besieged until 5pm. Several hundred people were detained at a holding station at Mont-sur-Lausanne. At 3pm, it was announced that the camp would be evicted. Most arrestees were released within a few hours.
[Press Release Legal Team] [Pics Raid 1 | 2] [reports: 1 | 2]
Lausanne Most campers had spent the morning in Lausanne until teargas, water canons and concussion grenades drove them out of town. Dancing crowds and bikes [pic] disrupted the delegate's passage towards the ferry at a festive pink demonstration near the red zone in Lausanne, while Anthracites blocked roads. Later police pushed pink & anthracite into one demonstration.
[Photo Reports:'til 12.30 (ge) | Peaceful Blockade (ge)] [pics Pink & Anthracite | | ] [video]
Aubonne.At about 11am, two climbers and their supporters were ready to block the G8 convoy on the motorway Geneva-Lausanne at the bridge over the river Aubonne. Arriving police officers aggressively attempted to clear the motorway, and cut off the rope which was both blocking traffic and holding two climbers hanging from it from both sides of the bridge. Martin Shaw, one of the climbers, fell 20 meters deep into the stony river and injured his back and leg. He survived, but is still in hospital. His condition is stable.
[Reports: 1|2|3] [Pics 1]
Sunday Afternoon & Night
Geneva. From afternoon until late, police desperately tried to "clean up" the city. Their charging affected bypassers and demonstrators indiscriminately. They attacked protesters in front of the Museum of Natural History [pics], and there was street-fighting in other places, too. Protesters set fire to a petrol station [Dispatch] and looted a BP station [pics]. At 7pm, many demonstrators were still assembled in the streets, despite being teargassed and smashed to the ground. Meanwhile, local kids from the housing estates were fighting the police in the city center, who responded with tear gas. Two cops were taken away in ambulances.
[Reports: Geneva resident | local anger] [Summary] [Pics 1 | 2]
L'Usine.A focus of police attention in the evening between 8pm and 10.30pm was the Social Center L'Usine, which houses an independent media center. Groups of rioters were pushed towards L'Usine, and heavily attacked near the Maison d'Associations nearby. After surrounding L'Usine for about an hour, police raided the Social center, many of them dressed as protesters. Many of the 100 activists trapped inside were beaten up and had their passports confiscated, while others continued producing radio- and video streams as well as updating websites [pics]. 11 people were arrested and later released. Fighting continued until late [pics]
[L'Usine Press Releases: 03.06, fr | 06.06, en] [Reports: 1 of streaming crew | Eyewitness ] [Pics & Reports Outside l'Usine (it) | Raid 1 | 2]
Annemasse. Two demos supported the besieged L'usine and the people trapped in Geneva, being under heavy police presence themselves [Dispatch]. At midnight, they returned safely to the VAAG camp, while the police blocked the entrance to the motorway nearby.
Geneva Around 11pm, mainly young people were still fighting the police in central Geneva watched by locals, with property destruction on one side and water canons, rubber bullets and concussion grenades on the other. Police were charging around the "Place de Plainpalais" and isolated the Social Center Maison d'Associations.
We heard that at midnight that a fun-party was going on at Place de la Bastille, and at 1.30am, Geneva was quiet.
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