Make the G8 History Blog

London Blasts: Don't Let Them Win

Gabriele Zamparini. London, the city where I live, has been attacked. Ordinary people are paying the price, once again. Killing innocent people is an infamous act, never legitimate. Never justified. Never. But if we want to understand what’s going on without hysteria, we must look at the full picture. Again, not to apologize. But to understand. And hopefully to do something to build a better world.

Andrew Gilligan evicted from protest planning meeting

Anti-G8 protesters today threw out infamous journalist Andrew Gilligan from a meeting discussing tactics around the counter-G8 actions at the Dissent! convergence space at the Teviot student union. The former BBC Radio 4 Today correspondent now working for the London Evening Standard, who was at the centre of the war of words over the so called Iraq 'dodgy dossier' between the BBC and the UK government that led to the death of the scientist Dr David Kelly, failed to depart the packed 'Anti-Authoritarian Assembly' when journalists were asked to leave.

The Abominable Live 8

Gabriele Zamparini, The Cat's Dream I felt dizzy when I read about Bono and World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz talking about poverty in Africa. But the worst had still to happen. I wanted to laugh – but I couldn’t – when I heard George W. Bush talking about the great generosity of US Government to help the developing countries. But the worst had still to happen. I felt sick when I saw Tony Blair and Sir Bob Geldof flirting and preaching on TV about Make Poverty History. But the worst had still to happen.

Indymedia live reporting ready to go

Indymedia UK activists have announced that Edinburgh Independent Media Centre is now open. There will be daily IMC and reporting co-ordination meetings at 7pm each evening at the venue above The Forest Cafe (street entrance door to the left) on Bristo Place, Edinburgh. To report news direct to Indymedia from the streets or counter-summits, ring the Indymedia Reporting Hotlines: +44 (0)7901 778 062 or +44(0)7050 686 844. These are one way reporting hotlines and not a general information line. See Indymedia UK for more

SpinWalk in Edinburgh announced

SpinWatch and Corporate Watch have just announced they will be putting on a guided tour of corporate Scotland in Edinburgh on Friday 1 July from 11am to 3.30pm to explore the relationship between the G8, Scotland PLC and corporate globalisation. 'SpinWalk' will visit those oil companies, banks and businesses profiteering from privatisation and PPP in Global South countries, as well as the key lobbying consultancies and PR outfits who help boost corporate power and wealth. Starting at the Usher Hall, the walk will end at the Scottish Parliament "around which the corporate lobbyists swarm to ensure that Jack McConnell and his cronies are kept sweet". Contact info@spinwatch.org to reserve a place.

Red Pepper and the Sunday Telegraph - an unholy alliance?

Stuart Hodkinson. Here's one for you. Last week, as Red Pepper's heroic volunteer press officer Alex went through the monthly motions of pestering the grandees of Britain's media to read our latest collection of brilliant articles, something rather strange happened: the press started to ring him! And not just any old newspaper hacks, oh no - we were courted and then chased by none other than the scourge of the radical left itself, the Sunday Torygraph.

Indymedia under attack again

Police have tonight shut down Bristol Indymedia by seizing the local IMC's server. An IMC volunteer has also been detained and his personal computer confiscated. Red Pepper cannot link to the site because it currently doesn't exist. 

Murky world of Make Poverty History uncovered

Make Poverty History is being trumpeted in the British media as an unprecedented success story for development campaigners. On paper it certainly looks impressive with over 460 trade unions, charities, NGOs and a stellar-cast of celebrities. However, Red Pepper can now exclusively reveal that as the G8 summit approaches, leading members are briefing against each other to the press while many African and other Southern social movements are angered at the silencing of their voices and political demands by Oxfam, Richard Curtis, Geldof and co. SH

Read the full story here:

http://www.redpepper.org.uk/global/x-jul05-hodkinson.htm

Hear Red Pepper's Radio 4 assault on celebrity-media G8 complicity

Last Friday, Red Pepper took part in Radio 4's The Message programme to debate the role of celebrity-led media-oriented campaigning in light of the Geldof-Make Poverty History phenomenon. The programme can be heard on the following link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/themessage.shtml

Girl in a Cafe my arse. This was Imperialism in a Hotel

Stuart Hodkinson. For those unfortunate enough to have just sat through Richard Curtis's (a.k.a. 'Bob with a brain') ridiculous BBC TV film, The Girl in the Cafe, about a pretend G8 summit in a Reykjavik hotel, I'm afraid I have some bad news. Yes, you really did just watch a jingoistic political broadcast on behalf of New Labour. Yes, she really did interrupt the PM's speech at the G8 dinner by clicking her fingers every 3 seconds to mark a child dying of extreme poverty in Africa. And no, you really didn't learn a single thing about the causes of that poverty, the culpability of the present UK government and the destructive role of the G8 in the world.