Reposts on Hamburg Critical Mass

German article with pictures: http://de.indymedia.org/2007/05/178563.shtml


Some 300 people took to the streets of Hamburg on 25 May, 2007, in a Critical Mass cycle protesting against the upcoming G8 summit. Police vans tried to break up the ride by driving into and standing in front of them, but protesters managed to disrupt the traffic in the city centre during rush hour. Cops then followed smaller groups of cyclists to 'disperse' them. 12 people were arrested and held for several hours.


G8 Critical mass disrupted by police and St Pauli fans take over streets of Hamburg. (St Pauli is an anti fascist soccer team with many activist supporters)
Over 250 people involved in the G8 mobilization took to the streets of Hamburg in a critical mass cycle ride yesterday. The police broke up the group of cyclists by driving between them with vehicles and by running and standing in front of them. The cops followed the smaller groups of cyclists to get them to disperse. 12 people were arrested and held for several hours.

There was a high police presence on the streets of hamburg due to the St. Pauli vs Dresden football match. Pauli fans known for their anti-fascist stance occupied the streets of Hamburg for most of the evening. Police fired water cannons at fans who were throwing bottles.

As the night went on Pauli fans brought the chaos to outside the Rota Flora convergence center where many people have been organizing for the G8. The building was defended and remained secure.



Report from Germany #1
Annie Nimmety (repost) 27.05.2007 13:00
Story from Hamburg
As my plane landed in Hamburg a lightning bolt almost hit it. I was looking out the window and saw the bolt streak down barely 300 feet from the plane. I landed without being blown to pieces, which was nice. However, I sincerely hope it is not an omen.

Never having been to Germany, Hamburg appeared to me as an anarchist paradise. Political graffiti was everywhere. You can identify people like you by sight. And the Rote Flora, the convergence center for Hamburg, is incredible. An old theatre from the 1800's, it is now a political center/squat with dozens of rooms all for specific things. There also a bike shop. Take the best community bike shop in the US and amplify it 100% and you will understand.

Which brings me to the Critical Mass. At first I was bummed, not having a bike. But then I learned of the bike shop and was given one of dozens and dozens of bikes. It worked too. So off I was. European cities were not built around the automobile, as ours were, mostly, thus allowing us to evade the cops ("bullen" in German, or bull) and ride for longer. There well over 200 of us, probably more. Every time I looked backwards I could not see the end. We were pursued by a dozen green vans. When they thought they had us, black and green clad cops streamed out of the vans. But we always got away, thanks to the sidestreets. The filming on the part of the cops is a lot more intense than it is in the states and it is big concern for the people in Hamburg, now that they are being called terrorists by their government, just as we will be soon. We rode for over an hour, causing joyous mischief in our wake, mischief I cannot recount because my memory is real bad.

When I got back and returned the bicycle I was dead. I hadnt slept in a couple of days. The people at the convergence center got me a place to stay which I cannot go into detail about, although I would like to. But its really great. As I passed out I heard those wonderful European sirens.

The next day, it turned out that after the St. Pauli football game there was a riot. Things were thrown, the bullen let loose the water from their cannons and there was a standoff near the Rote Flora. I wish I could have been there, but right now, typing as Peaches plays on the stereo, I am grateful for my sleep. Today there is a demonstration against the EU's desire to privatize education so Europe can have an education system as good as ours where we have to pay to work in an office or work in a kitchen with a degree in philosophy. On Monday the EU is having its Asia summit and things will get really crazy. When I can I'll get as much information out as possible.Until then, remind your friends that something is about to happen in Germany. Their biggest weapon is the suppresion of information and they use it well. The only way to counter it is to spread it all ourselves. Perhaps what is happening here can give you some form of hope. It is giving me hope.



critical mass - prelude in Hamburg
souls / doppeldrei 27.05.2007 00:08 Themen: G8 G8 Heiligendamm
A critical mass happened this afternoon as a prelude to the ASEM-Meeting in Hamburg. 350 highly motivated hobbyist cyclists went on their way into the city to interrupt traffic - and they made it.
A critical mass happened this afternoon as a prelude to the ASEM-Meeting in Hamburg. 350 highly motivated hobbyist cyclists went on their way into the city to [shut down] traffic - and they made it.

At around 16:30, in time for the rushhour in Hamburgs city it started. From Grosse Bergstrasse in Altona, around 300 cyclest went on their way, while another 50 started from the main trainstation. Slowly getting into the traffic .. get a feel for what is possible. The group from the train station had nice company, three police busses closed down traffic behind them. Traffic got stickier.
Until then everything was still relaxed. Near to Laizshalle this should change. Four Wannen came directly at them, from direction Heiligengeistfeld some motorcycled cops, and out of the Wannen that so far followed them peacefully, suddenly the cops came to arrest around 20 people. The rest of the group fled into the "Planten un Blomen" park.
From there on it got hectic. With the police being all over, a few got back together and on their way to Altona. Another group got driven into a dead-end by the police, personal details were taken, custodies made.
Other smaller and larger groups got stopped and partly taken into custody all over the city, with the cops being kind of harsh in the city center. Police cars driving in front of cyclists to stop them, cyclists torn from their bikes while driving.
According to tickers, most peole had been set free by the evening.

People on the sidewalks and the streets got attracted by this and the chorus of the cyclists, and when realizing the cause of this happening, started encouraging and supporting the effort. It looked a little different with people behind stearing wheels, but it seems a part of this society sympathizes with activities against the G8 meeting. This for sure also is a reaction on the latest snorting of the authorities in recent days. Not to mention the criminilization of the protest movement against the G8 meeting - turns out we all really are terrorists.

One more thing said: the cops rarely appeared that unorganized before. Rushhour traffic got impacted heavily. Cyclists being here, and then there. Just through some small park and no one knew how to follow.

The streets are ours, stop G8!