WDM at the G8 Summit

Wednesday, 06 July 2005
Gleneagles protest

WDM has marched to the Gleneagles Hotel on the opening day of the G8 Summit.

Update 11pm: The 10,000 strong G8 demonstration was terminated by the police, who deployed military helicopters against civilians for the first time on mainland Britain.

The curtailed march was followed by a rally where George Monbiot, who had spoken at WDM's G8 Alternatives Conference the previous Sunday, addressed the massed crowds. We then linked up with the reunited WDM Brighton Group, who had all been on the march and reached the Gleneagles fence to deliver their message loud and clear to the G8 leaders.

Finally, we reassembled to take the bus back to Edinburgh, tired and frustrated at the denial of our right to peaceful protest, but inspired by the commitment of large numbers who had struggled against all the odds to get there.

WDM's Paul Harper at 3pm: After nearly a 4-hour journey, we finally circumnavigated all the roadblocks and diversions and arrived in Auchterarder at 2:30pm.

After a long trek up the High Street, we joined the thousands-strong march, with a significant international contingent, which is now slowly making its way through the streets of Auchterarder. We are passing intrigued and puzzled local residents, who are very friendly and letting the marchers use their toilets as there are no public utilities.

The sounds of trumpets, drums, whistles and chants fill the air and although the atmosphere is like a carnival, we have a serious message for the leaders of the G8: We demand total unpayable debt cancellation, an end to free trade injustices and more yet better aid.

Good news: all 3 Brighton WDM activists, who yesterday had taken possession of a crane in Edinburgh for 12 hours and then arrested, have been released and are at Gleneagles. They were charged with a breach of the peace and were bailed to appear at the Sheriff's Court in Edinburgh next Tuesday. They were interviewed by Radio Five Live earlier this afternoon.

Photo credits: Paul Harper/World Development Movement.