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Comments
Hide the following 7 comments
Good job
06.07.2005 14:46
Frank
Fab Photos
06.07.2005 15:18
Karuna
G8 Summit Bike Blockade
06.07.2005 20:29
As we neared Gleneagles, we took a Critical Mass formation, with all 40 cyclists occupying roads at very low speed, blocking delegates and journalists behind us. As a result several journalists got out of their stinky fossil fuel powered vehicles to talk to us and experienced firsthand the non-hierarchical autonomy & effectiveness of the groups. Chaos with a smile!
We reached the North gate, nearest the media reception tent at 9.50. We were met by a line of 5 cops, shortly joined by a line of 60 or so silent boiler suited trolls. By this time so many cars had built up that around 300 journalists left their heavy innefficient transport and walked / ran into the summit, weaving their way through the bikes & colourful protestors.
we were accompanied by the unique 'Pedals' communaly owned tandem towed Sound system, which kept morale high throughout the protest, even when it was separated from the protest group by the smelly piggies.
the protest developed into a street party, with funky dancing, games of Giants wizards & elves, & several speeches aimed at edifying the police.
The cops penned us in, giving us the silent treatment. This penning was ILLEGAL - our free movement was restricted, and we were not under any section.
After an hour we were allowed to continue the ride to Auchterarder, perhaps due to the heavy media presence. At the park we joined the protests, moving on to the childrens carnival on the bridge over the A9. DJ EON rinsed the phat party soundz on Pedals - the kidz woz luvvin it! Who could compain about a heady mix of Drumnbass, House, Breakbeat, RocknRoll, Hiphop, Heavy Metal, Jazz ( http://www.mashuptwins.com ) & an impromptu open mic session with kids as young as 7 participating.
A superbly successful day for the G8bikeride, arriving at Gleneagles on the 5th of July having left London on June 19th.
Bazmo
Homepage: http://www.undeadarmy.org
Pedal Pirates A9 Blockade 4ish on the 6th...
06.07.2005 20:39
Peter Panier
Tut tut
06.07.2005 21:04
HAHAHAHAHA
bike riders report
07.07.2005 11:24
We had struggled through the police search lines which were imposed yesterday evening and escaped up into the hills in preparation for early action. (Even when it doesn't look like rain, I should never neglect to set up a proper cover for a camping spot, especially on so important an evening and when camping with a buddy.)
By 6am our little party of four were in Crieff waiting for others to ride into town. As we approached town one delegate to the conference sped past us with his police escort but later travellers were not so fortunate as a very effective blockade was established just as we reached the river. Five nervous-looking protestors were locked together through arm tubes and into a service duct on the bridge. For a few minutes until the police arrived to control the traffic, we four helped to stop vehicles from trying to cross the bridge. One local who was trying to catch a 'plane was so irrate that he might well have run people down had the arrival of the police not been impressively quick.
Twenty-something cyclists assembled in the town from various soggy hiding-places but with so brave and effective a blockade on the only river crossing, a critical mass in the town seemed unnecessary. We set off toward the next river crossing rather haphazardly holding up non-local drivers when we could figure out who was who. The next crossing seemed to have been closed as effectively as had the bridge into Crieff so we turned towards Gleneagles itself.
By great good fortune or improbable police sympathy we were allowed to ride at walking pace for several miles up to the northern entrance to the conference compound and just as we began to slow-down that approach road a long caravan of media bods in cars and coaches drove up behind us. Better still we were permitted to block the entrance completely for some minutes before we were cordonned onto the roadside verge. Though most of the dour hacks ignored us some paid us and our message full attention and none could have completely failed to register our existence. What a publicity coup!
A later confrontation on our way home was less auspicious. Heady with delusions of power our younger, more fiery members chose to ignore police demands that we stop blocking both carriageways of the A9. Consequently we were all roughly pulled from our bikes by a swarm of Met officers and bundled to the side of the road where we were thoroughly searched and had our bicycles confiscated. Faced with the prospect of a very long walk home lugging our bags we were almost immediately rescued by two minibuses driven by protesters who are also staying on the Stirling site.
Critical Masses are a valuable form of protest against the congestion of cities and the proliferation of road traffic but they are a largely pointless nuisance on a long stretch of rural dual-carriageway. Perhaps, in the context of so important a protest venue as the G8 summit, any nuisance is worthwile but I don't believe we helped the cause on this occasion.
We should be able to collect our bikes from Perth tomorrow morning, though I cannot imagine even the much more friendly Tayside police being particularly cooperative.
~~~
Homepage: http://g8bikeride.blogspot.com/#112072097473605945
What constitution ?
08.07.2005 15:52
A french citizen who voted
Jena Vide