arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)
[eng] Breaking News: Nato Protests
by [posted] Friday, Feb. 01, 2002 at 5:43 PM
Chronology of protests against NATO meeting in Munich, Germany.
[eng] Breaking News: Nato Protests
Protests against the "Conference on Security Policy" in Munich, Germany, February 1st - 3rd. latest update: Friday 1 February, 5.30 pm
Friday 1 February
5.30pm: People are gathering in the main square centre for a "press conference". After day-long police-harassment, police are keeping a low profile at the moment.
1.30pm: small demonstration against the ban on freedom of speech: People are walking through the city with blank, white banners.
A "red zone" has been established around the conference venue - no protesters allowed in. Controls all over the city, people are prevented to get to Munich by car or by train. Several people involved in the network which called for the protests have been arrested.
A major rally in Munich's main square had been planned for today but was declared illegal yesterday, as was the big demonstration planned for Saturday. Instead, pleople are now planning to distribute flyers all over the city: "Resistance can not be prevented". For Saturday the idea is to take part in large numbers in the winter sale in Munich's city-center.
Thursday 31 january
All planned demonstrations and rallies against the Nato meeting were declared illegal by the city council today. Activist groups and NGOs challenged the ban in court, but the complaint was rejected.
Nevertheless, the actions are going ahead. A first demonstration took place in the early evening. 2000 people demonstrated peacefully in Munich's central square against the Nato meeting and against the ban on demonstrations. See pictures of before the demo started here.
In the morning, an established, legal infoshop - which was going to serve as infopoint during the days of action - had been raided by police.
Generally, the run-up to the events has included wide-spread attempts of intimidation and repression by the Munich city council and the police. All infrastructure, such as sleeping places for the expected thousands of protesters, infopoints etc. was blocked or cancelled due to government pressure. The venue for a benefit gig was told it may face closure if the gig went ahead, each and every attempt to mobilise for the protests has been facing the risk of legal consequences. Known activists were "warned" in letters or by telephone calls not to take part in demonstrations. Freedom of speech, movement and assembly are heavily restricted.
The local media have played the well-known role of stirring up fear of "violence" by "leftwing extremists", who allegedly want to make Munich a "second Genoa". Thereby they have tried their best to justify heavy-handed police actions, a ban on protests and a criminalisation of protesters. They have effectively turned reality upside down by accusing anti-war protesters - and not the generals and army officials meeting in Munich - of "violence".