SCOTLAND: SSP plans for anti-G8 protests

Alex Miller

Thousands of anti-capitalist and anti-war activists are expected to protest against the G8 summit that is to be held in Gleneagles from July 6-8.

The summit will bring together the leaders of the world's wealthiest countries, including US President George Bush, British PM Tony Blair and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Planned protests include a "Make Poverty History" march in Edinburgh on July 2, plus actions at the Faslane nuclear submarine base and Dungavel refugee detention centre.

The February 27 Sunday Herald reported that all six Scottish Socialist Party parliamentarians (MSPs) will do two days of non-violent direct action training in preparation for protests at the summit.

The Herald quoted SSP MSP Frances Curran as saying: "Some of us have done the training before — including Carolyn Leckie and Rosie Kane — but we are all going to do it for the G8, because we are intent on having a peaceful protest. The training teaches you what to do when you're facing riot police. We will be calling on other SSP members and suggesting everybody goes through training. Most of our members have been on countless demonstrations across Scotland and there has never been one hint of trouble."

Ominously, the February 17 Scottish Socialist Voice reported that police will be brought in from across Scotland, Manchester, and London. It also said London is thinking of buying four water cannons, like those used against G8 protesters in Genoa in 2001.

On February 24, the Voice reported on "the scrapping of all trials at Edinburgh Sheriff Court for the first two weeks in July, and every criminal Sheriff Court (bar one) being freed up to deal specifically with G8 related arrests", adding: "Police are planning to use special anti-terror stop-and-search powers around Gleneagles and are also set to turn a former RAF base in Edinburgh into a 'holding facility' for protesters awaiting trial".

The Voice argued: "We're told that Scotland's leading political figures and police chiefs are introducing these measures because they're worried the protests could mirror the riots that took place at the G8 summit in Genoa. But this simply doesn't add up. Two hundred and fifty people were arrested in the Italian city of Genoa, where hard-line police officers imprisoned a number of innocent protesters who were later released without charge. There was violence, but for the most part provoked by the police, culminating in the murder of protestor Carlo Giuliani".

From Green Left Weekly, March 9, 2005.

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From GLW issue 618