The G8 (Group of Eight,
most industrialised nations) Summits are hosted, on rotation, by the group’s
member states. In 2005 the Summit is to be held in the UK at Gleneagles
in Perthshire, Scotland (around 60 miles north of Edinburgh). A network,
going by the name of Dissent!, has formed with the hope of co-ordinating
radical resistance to the Summit and building a lasting anti-capitalist
movement in the UK.
The Network was formed in the autumn of 2003 by a group of people who
have previously been involved in radical ecological direct action, Reclaim
the Streets, Peoples’ Global Action, the anti-war movement and the
global anti-capitalist movement which has emerged around meetings of the
international elite over the past few years.
The Network has no central office, no spokespeople, no membership list
and no paid staff. It’s a mechanism for communication and co-ordination
between local groups and working groups involved in building resistance
to the G8, and capitalism in general. It hopes to exist long after the
world leaders have returned home in the early summer of 2005.
Dissent! is open to anybody willing to work within the Hallmarks of Peoples’
Global Action (PGA). PGA was founded in February 1998 by hundreds of people
from social movements as diverse as the Brazilian landless peasants movement
(MST), Reclaim the Streets in the UK, the Zapatistas in Mexico, radical
ecologists from the Ukraine, Maori from New Zealand and squatters from
across Europe, all of whom had gathered in Geneva for the founding conference.
The PGA Network was created as a tool for co-ordination and communication
between groups, movements and individuals wanting to organise global anti-capitalist
resistance, particularly to international organisations such as the World
Trade Organisation (WTO), and to draw attention to the possibility of
alternative forms of social organisation. The PGA, and the movements involved
within it, were instrumental in initiating and co-ordinating the global
days of action against the last G8 meeting in the UK in Birmingham 1998,
the day of action in financial centres around the world on June 18th 1999,
and the events in Seattle and around the globe which coincided with the
WTO Ministerial in November 1999. The Hallmarks are as follows:
1. A very clear rejection of capitalism, imperialism and feudalism; all
trade agreements, institutions and governments that promote destructive
globalisation.
2. We reject all forms and systems of domination and discrimination including,
but not limited to, patriarchy, racism and religious fundamentalism of
all creeds. We embrace the full dignity of all human beings.
3. A confrontational attitude, since we do not think that lobbying can
have a major impact in such biased and undemocratic organisations, in
which transnational capital is the only real policy-maker.
4. A call to direct action and civil disobedience, support for social
movements’ struggles, advocating forms of resistance which maximise
respect for life and oppressed peoples’ rights, as well as the construction
of local alternatives to global capitalism.
5. An organisational philosophy based on decentralisation and autonomy.
The Dissent! Network holds regular bi-monthly gatherings, open to all
who wish to work within these guidelines. Come along and get involved.
Email: g8gathering@yahoo.co.uk or visit the Dissent! website: www.dissent.org.uk
to find out when and where the next gathering is taking place. Alternatively
contact one of the working groups or local groups listed on the inside
back cover. Another world is possible, let’s start building it!
The Dissent!
Network is open to all of those who agree to work within the Hallmarks
of Peoples’ Global Action (PGA). Here are the different ways you
can find out more about, and get involved with, the Network...
*The website: www.dissent.org.uk
*To join the Dissent! email list, send an email to:
resistg82005-subscribe@lists.riseup.net
*To take part in the Enrager.net discussion forum about the 2005 G8 Summit,
go to: www.enrager.net
*The Dissent! Network holds bi-monthly gatherings. For information about
the next one email: g8gathering@yahoo.co.uk
Dissent
Working Groups
For
latest info on working groups click here
If you would like
to get involved in a particular aspect of the mobilisation against the
G8, contact one of the following working groups. If you would like to
initiate a project or working group, to work within the PGA Hallmarks
and as a part of the Dissent! Network, then: go for it! And better still,
come along to the next gathering, let people know about it and ask if
anyone wants to help out.
Education/Roadshow
TRAPESE (Take Radical Action Through Participatory Education and Sustainable
Everything) is a popular education collective set up as part of the build
up to mobilisations against the G8 through the Dissent! Network.
TRAPESE offers workshops, a show, pub-quizes, videos etc... based on issues
related to the G8 (climate change, oil, war, food, poverty, Africa...)
In the run up to the G8 Summit and beyond, the collective will be giving
talks and workshops at venues around the UK – attempting to reach
all sorts of people, not just activists. If you are interested in the
roadshow, would be willing to host an event or would like more information
please get in touch.
Phone: 07904 452297
Email: roadshow@riseup.net
Gathering
For information about the next bi-monthly Dissent! gathering, or to offer
to help out organising it, write to: g8gathering@yahoo.co.uk
Funding
To make donations, or to get involved with fundraising, email: fundingdissent@yahoo.com
International
Networking
If you are based outside of the UK and want to contact the Dissent! Network,
or if you would like to get involved with networking internationally,
email: infog82005@yahoo.com
To subscribe to the email list for internationally co-ordinating resistance
to the 2005 G8 Summit, email: international-g82005-subscribe@lists.riseup.net
To get involved with the UK-based International Networking group, working
on building contact with groups and networks internationally, join the
International Networking working group email list: dissent_int_network@yahoogroups.co.uk
Process Group
The Process Group is the working group responsible for organising the
agenda and facilitation for the bi-monthly gatherings. To suggest items
to be put on the agenda for the next gathering, or to get involved in
the group, email: dissentprocess@yahoo.co.uk
Medical Support
Email: uk_medics@lists.riseup.net
Web: www.actionmedics.org.uk
To subscribe to the email list, write to: medic_g8_2005-subscribe@lists.riseup.net
Festival of
Dissent!
To get involved in co-ordinating the Festival of Dissent! planned to take
place somewhere in the UK in April 2005, subscribe to the email list by
writing to: festivalofdissent-subscribe@lists.riseup.net
Newsletter
To order copies of the Dissent! Newsletter, or to contribute an article
or idea, email: dissentnewsletter@yahoo.co.uk Or write to: Dissent Newsletter,
Box 8, 245 Gladstone Street, Nottingham, NG7 6HX.
Publicity
To subscribe to the list, email: dissent-pub-subscribe@lists.riseup.net
Website
To contact the web group and request changes, email: dissent-tech@lists.aktivix.org
To get involved in the web group, subscribe to the email list by going
to: http://lists.aktivix.org/mailman/listinfo/dissent-tech
Training
The Training working group are co-ordinating skill sharing and training
for people wanting to take action around the G8. Training sessions include:
how to plan actions, direct action techniques, working in affinity groups
and street teams, organising collectively, consensus decision-making in
small and large groups and setting up and running legal support teams.
They are planning on organising training sessions at possible convergence
centres and camps during the Summit and offer trainings to groups all
year round. The group are also looking for more people to get involved.
To contact the group, email: actiontraining@linuxmail.org To join the
email list, email: actiontraining@lists.aktivix.org
Legal
Support
The Legal Support Group will be gathering information and legal resources
with the aim to provide activists with a guide to Scottish law and possible
police tactics both in the run up to Gleneagles and during the course
of the summit protests. To get involved or to help with useful skills
and resources email: g8legalsupport@riseup.net
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Dissent! Network
Local Groups
For
latest contact details click here
If
you would like to get involved in a local Dissent! group, there may be
one near you. Here’s a list, in alphabetical order, of the groups
we know of (as of April 2005, click link above for current local groups
info on the Dissent! website). If there isn’t one near you, set
one up!
Brighton
Email: brightonantig8@yahoo.co.uk
Bristol
Group: Dissent! Bristol
Mail: Dissent!, Box 102, 82 Colston St., Bristol, BS1 5BB.
Email: dissentbristol@subsection.org.uk
Email List: http://lists.aktivix.org/mailman/listinfo/dissent-bristol
Cambridge
Group: Cambridge Action Network
Mail: CAN, c/o 12 Mill Road, Cambridge CB1 2AD
Email: cambridge@lists.riseup.net
Web: www.cambridgeaction.net
Cardiff
Group: Cardiff Anarchist Network
Meets: Model Inn, Quay Street, Cardiff (Every Monday 9pm, upstairs).
Tel: 07931 451 707
Web: www.geocities.com/bozavine/can
Derby
Group: Derby Earth First!
Meets: Bernard's Watch Café, The Courtyard Pub, Friargate, Derby
(First Tuesday of every month).
Mail: PO Box 6628, Derby, DE1 9EA.
Tel: 01332 835 426
Email: derby.earthfirst@hushmail.com
Edinburgh
Group: Edinburgh Reshape
Meets: Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh, 17 West Montgomery Place, Edinburgh,
EH7 5HA. (Second Sunday of every month, 5pm).
Mail: Reshape, c/o Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh, 17 West Montgomery
Place, Edinburgh, EH7 5HA.
Tel: 0131 557 6242
Email: reshape@riseup.net
Email List: http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/dissentedinburgh
Web: http://enrager.net/hosted/reshape/
Glasgow
Group: Reshape, Glasgow
Email: reshape-glasgow@riseup.net
Hastings
Anti-G8 Infopoint
Email: blueecomag@netscape.net
Ipswich
Anti-G8 Infopoint
Email: atgblue@yahoo.com
Lancaster
Group: Lancaster Action Resource Centre (LaRC)
Mail: LaRC, The Basement, 78a Penny St,
Lancaster.
Tel: 01524 383012
Email: thebasement@webtribe.net
Web: www.eco-action.org/lancaster/
Leeds
Group: Leeds ARC
Mail: 145-147 Cardigan Road, Leeds, LS6 1LJ.
Email: leedsarc@riseup.net
Web: www.leedsarc.org.uk
Leicester
Group: Leicester Action Network
Email: info@leicester-action.co.uk
Web: www.leicester-action.co.uk
Liverpool
Email: chogmail@excite.com
London
Group: London Action Resource Centre (LARC)
Mail: 62 Fieldgate Street, London, E1 1ES.
Tel: 0207 377 9088
Email: info@londonarc.org
Web: www.londonarc.org
Group: Wombles
Mail: Wombles c/o Freedom Bookshop, 84b Whitechapel High Street, London
E1 7QX.
Meets: Every Tuesday. For details see website.
Tel: 07956 975 490
Email: wombles@hushmail.com
Web: www.wombles.org.uk
Manchester
Group: Dosummat
Email: dosummat@shortcutz.org.uk
Web: www.dosummat.org.uk
Newcastle
Group: Why Don't You?
Mail: PO Box 1TA, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE99 1TA.
Email: whydontyou@post.com
Nottingham
Mail: Box 8, The Sumac Centre, 245 Gladstone St., Nottingham, NG7 6HX.
Email: dissent@veggies.org
Web: www.veggies.org.uk/sumac
Oxford
Group: Oxford Anti-G8 Group
Mail: 16b Cherwell Street, Oxford, OX4 1BG.
Email: dissentoxford@riseup.net
Reading
Group: Reading Anti-G8
Email: reading-anti-g8@cyber-rights.net
Sheffield
Email: sheffieldmayday@ukf.net
Worthing
Group: Shut the G8
Mail: PO Box 4144, Worthing, BN14 7NZ.
Email: shuttheg8@hotmail.com
Web: www.freewebs.com/shuttheg8
Other
Contacts and Resources
Anarchist
Black Cross
Support our movement’s prisoners! Information available from Brighton
Anarchist Black Cross (ABC)
Email: mail@brightonabc.org.uk
Web: www.brightonabc.org.uk
Corporate
Watch
Corporate Watch are planning on producing a guide to the G8 and the 2005
Summit.
Web: www.corporatewatch.org
G8 Information
Centre
Based at Toronto University. Information, analysis and research about
the institutions, issues and members of the G8. The information and analysis
contained here is useful and interesting, despite the fact that the researchers
involved in the project are not coming from a radical perspective. To
be read critically.
Web: www.g7.utoronto.ca
Indymedia
UK: www.indymedia.org.uk
Scotland: http://scotland.indymedia.org
Global: www.indymedia.org
Peoples’
Global Action (PGA)
Web: www.agp.org
Peoples’
Golfing Action
A network of anarchist golfers planning to disrupt the 2005 G8 Summit,
to be held at Gleneagles luxury hotel and golf resort.
Email: wrench@tao.ca
Web: www.tao.ca/~wrench/dist/g8/pga.html
SchNEWS
Weekly radical news-sheet. Available online: www.schnews.org.uk
The Clandestine
Insurgent Rebel Clown Army
The Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army (CIRCA), is a gaggle of activist/tricksters,
who are developing a method of political activism that brings together
the ancient practice of rebel clowning and the more recent practice of
Civil Disobedience. CIRCA will be on a recruitment tour of the UK and
Europe in spring 2005 and hopes to bring numerous battalions of clownbatants
to mock the G8. If you wish to join up or host a recruitment workshop
contact: circa@riseup.net
Web: www.clownarmy.org
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