07 November 2009

Over 150 people converged today for a rally and march in St Andrews to say ‘Nae Tae G20.’  People from St Andrews, Edinburgh, London, and beyond gathered in Church Square to listen to an anti-war protester whose grandson was killed fighting in Afghanistan.  The protesters then marched through St Andrews to the East Sands Beach, where three others also spoke about the economic problems of today.

Upon reaching West Sands, the police called an end to the march, as the permit with Nae Tae G20 ordered.  After a lengthy negotiation with Nae Tae G20 representatives, the police allowed the march to continue to the Fairmont Hotel, the luxury hotel where the actual G20 is taking place

Over 80 protesters decided to then take the long march to the Fairmont Hotel.  Accompanied by 31 police officers, the march held up the road to the Fairmont, with a line of 25 cars tracing the way back to St Andrews.  The march passed over ten delegate cars and several other police vans.

Upon arriving at the Fairmont Hotel, the protestors were blocked by lines of police officers and held near the hotel’s gate.  Protesters waved banners and yelled at passing cars filled with G20 officials.

——————-

Video from the march

note: All images can be used freely with attribution to “Nae Tae G20 media team.”  Pictures taken by a number of individuals.

high resolution available at:

Nae Tae G20 media team photo set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelimage/sets/72157622754894978/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelimage/sets/72157622636572005/

————————-

morning assembly at Church Square, for Nae Tae G20 march in St Andrews, Scotland

morning assembly at Church Square, for Nae Tae G20 march in St Andrews, Scotland

morning assembly at Church Square, for Nae Tae G20 march in St Andrews, Scotland

[updated 07 November 13:08]

—–

ALEX BROWN
NAE TAE G20
E-mail: naetaeg20@googlemail.com
Phone: 07827743149
Website: https://naetaeg20.wordpress.com/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ST ANDREWS: ‘5 arrested at anti-G20 roadblock’

7/11/9: Five activists protesting the G20 finance ministers’ meeting blockaded a road tonight leading to the Fairmont Hotel in St Andrews. Nae Tae G20 legal support was contacted and volunteers were able to arrive and document the act of civil disobedience

The activists used locking arm tubes (lockboxes, lockon tubes) to form a circle in the middle of the road, blocking both lanes of traffic.  The road is a three way fork where the A917 leading northwest to St Andrews and southeast to Boarhills/Krail meets the B9131 leading south to Anstruther.

The blockade lasted for over an hour and the last protester was cut from their arm tube at 20:08.  Police presence kept the road blocked for another 16 minutes.

The protesters action created a full traffic stop in all three directions from 19:00 GMT until 20:24 GMT when traffic was finally allowed to pass.  The queue of cars stretched far in all directions and within line towards St. Andrews included numerous cars, several coaches, and at least one hotel van heading towards the Fairmont Hotel.  According to BBC Alba (Gaelic) in a report filed by reporter Micheal MacNeil, the blockade prevented Alistair Darling, a Scottish MP and Chancellor of the Exchequer (British finance minister), from reaching the hotel until the road was able to be cleared.

While observing the blockade from the sidewalk, numerous Nae Tae G20 legal observes were verbally assualted and three were shoved by police, one being knocked to the ground.  Following traffic resuming, while returning to St Andrews, the legal observers with Nae Tae G20 were stopped by police twice and forced to provide their names and other identifying information or be arrested.  Police also individually filmed each legal observer and described them physically to the camera.

ENDS

Notes to editors:
Photographs available upon request.  Members of the group would be happy to give interviews; to request one, please contact the number below.

ALEX BROWN
NAE TAE G20
E-mail: naetaeg20@googlemail.com
Phone: 07827743149
Website: https://naetaeg20.wordpress.com/

note: This press release was sent to members of the media and Nae Tae G20 in conjunction with the roadblock action.  The press release was written by those arrested, and not Nae Tae G20.

——

NOAH FENCE
E-mail: dontwanttobefiscallystimulated@gmail.com
Phone: 07599189715

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ST ANDREWS G20: 5/11/09: Five students created a human blockade on the road to the Fairmont Hotel in an attempt to disrupt the G20 finance ministers as they arrived at their St Andrews hotel location for a two-day summit.

The students were protesting against the G20’s current policies regarding the economic recession.

“The G20’s plan to put the IMF at the centre of an economic recovery plan is beyond a joke. It is precisely the structural adjustment programmes of raised interest rates and cuts to public spending imposed by the IMF that have made so many countries suffer during downturns; that’s why Western countries follow the exact opposite policies when they get into trouble, as the nationalisation of banks demonstrates,” said Oliver Kearns, a 3rd year International Relations student.

While both an alternative summit and a march had already been planned by separate groups for Saturday, the students felt it was necessary to take a more direct approach.

“The decisions being made by the finance ministers could literally mean the difference between life and death for millions of people. When the stakes are that high, the cost of breaking the law to try to affect the outcome becomes a small price to pay,” said Benjamin Bridgman, a second year Social Anthropology student.

The students’ actions were not affiliated with any other events organized to coincide with the G20 summit, and stressed that their intention was not to disturb the people of St Andrews.

ENDS

Notes to editors:
Photographs available upon request. Members of the group would be happy to give interviews; to request one, please contact the number below.

NOAH FENCE
E-mail: dontwanttobefiscallystimulated@gmail.com
Phone: 07599189715

[updated 07 November 13:08]

——-

06 November 2009

Earlier tonight, protesters in St Andrews blocked the four-lane road leading towards the Fairmont Hotel, where the G20 Finance Ministers meeting is currently taking place.

Nae Tae G20 found out about the action via our legal and media support lines and we able to arrive to the scene quickly.

The five activists used locking arm tubes (lockboxes, lockon tubes) to form a circle in the middle of the road, blocking both lanes.  The road is a three way fork where the A917 leading northwest to St Andrews and southeast to Boarhills/Krail meets the B9131 leading south to Anstruther.

The blockade lasted for over an hour and the last protester was cut from their arm tube at 20:08.  Police presence kept the road blocked for another 16 minutes.

In summary, the protesters action created a full traffic stop in all three directions from 19:00 GMT until 20:24 GMT when traffic was finally allowed to pass.  The queue of cars stretched far in all directions and within line towards St. Andrews included numerous cars, several coaches, and at least one hotel van heading towards the Fairmont Hotel.  According to BBC Alba (Gaelic) in a report filed by reporter Micheal MacNeil, the blockade prevented Alistair Darling, a Scottish MP and Chancellor of the Exchequer (British finance minister), from reaching the hotel until the road was able to be cleared.

Police later phoned the Nae Tae G20 legal support line, on request from those arrested, and we learned that the five individuals were being held until a court hearing on Monday morning where they will be charged with “obstructing a highway.”

While observing the blockade from the sidewalk, numerous legal observes were shoved by police, one being knocked to the ground.  The Chief Inspector, wearing three stars non his shoulder, was one of the first officers to arrive on the scene and reported to legal observers that he was in charge.  Subsequently, he verbally threatened three legal observers, calling one “a dickhead,” and made a veiled threat stating “tomorrow’s going to be a bad day – and not for me.’

Following traffic resuming, the legal observers with Nae Tae G20 were stopped by police and forced to provide their names and other identifying information or be arrested.  Police also individually filmed each leal observer and described them physically to the camera.  Approximately ten minutes after this, while returning to town, the legal overseers were once again stopped and detained by police while their personal information was “verified with police criminal databases.”

Pictures taken by Nae Tae G20 legal observers will follow in a subsequent post.

If members of the press would like to utilize the photographs provided, credit the photographs to “Nae Tae G20 media team.”  The Nae Tae G20 media liaison, Alex Brown, can also be contacted via phone for questions regarding our account of the roadblock action.

For mainstream media coverage of the action, visit:

BBC: Five arrested close to G20 hotel

Taiwan News: British treasury chief urges climate agreement

 

Getty Image’s: pictures posted on NPR:

http://topics.npr.org/photo/0d5wai88G70gu

http://topics.npr.org/photo/05nC022h233cZ

http://topics.npr.org/photo/03XQbn4gV1f3g

http://topics.npr.org/photo/0g0V0Do7lWamU

http://topics.npr.org/photo/0dXz94G9jzeAR?q=g20

http://topics.npr.org/photo/0bWd7A6anf8Uf?q=g20

Nae Tae G20 had its first official event today, with a rally at Church Square.  Protestors arrived with banners, signs, and a conviction that they were working for a better world.  The scene appeared to be a quiet one, but spirits ran high with anticipation for the major event tomorrow.

The press were out in force, as well as the police.  Interviews were given to numerous news outlets, including the BBC, BCC Scotland, Reuters, Associated Press, and The Times.

Today’s main goal was to get the word out even further, especially to the students and townspeople of St Andrews, about tomorrow’s March.  Pictures follow!

Don’t forget tomorrow – our main event starts at 1:30 in Church Square in St Andrews, with the march starting off at 2:00.  We are expecting busses from most Scottish cities as well as from people further afield, so a high turnout is expected.  See you there!

pictures also posted to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/razboz/sets/72157622622997125/

[Updated Nov. 4, 2009]

**********PLEASE DISTRIBUTE, FORWARD & RE-POST FAR & WIDE**********

In St. Andrews, we say “Nae Tae G20!

No to G20 neo-liberalism!  No to economic exploitation!  No to environmental destruction!

Yes to sustainability, community cooperation and peoples’ representation!
Yes to liberation, solidarity, equality, human rights and peace!
Yes to revolution!

On the first weekend in November, the financial leaders of the world’s twenty richest countries will be hosting closed door meetings in order to decide how our world should be run.  The Group of Twenty (G20) finance ministers have chosen to host these meetings in the town of St. Andrews, Scotland, and in response groups of residents and students have paved the way to make our voices heard.

We the residents and students of this community are coming into the streets to say loud and clear, “The G20 is not welcome in our town,” or as the Scots say, “Nae tae G-20!”  We are joining together to say that the neo-liberal development, trade and environmental policies furthered by the G20 will not solve the global financial crisis, not solve the global ecological crisis and do not address the ever-increasing wealth gap.  We are resisting the G20 because it is a mechanism of the global ruling elite that seeks to enrich the “1st world” at the expense of increasing poverty for the  “underdeveloped” and “developing” world.

There are a number of organizations making exciting plans in St. Andrews during the weekend of the G20 meeting, and while Put People First (g20standrews.org) has organized an educational event, we have set our sights on getting people into the streets to show our collective dissent.  To this end we have called for two days of festive actions:

– Friday, November 6, 2009, 11:00am, join us for a protest rally at “Church Square,” located near the intersection of Church St. & South St.

– Saturday, November 7, 2009, join us for a march, also starting at “Church Square.”  The march will be gathering at 1:30pm and departing by 2:00pm.

For directions: https://naetaeg20.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/new-assembly-point/

In addition to these actions, groups are encouraged to organize locally in their communities, and come to St. Andrews to share their creative resistance with us during these two days.  We will do our best to support your action if you require some assistance.This action has been endorsed locally by Stop the War, the Scottish Socialist Party, numerous St. Andrews University student societies, and assorted Scottish workers unions.

Please direct all questions, endorsements, press inquiries and hate mail to NaeTaeG20@gmail.com

Media liaison, Alex Brown: 07827743149,

Legal support line for protesters arrested or detailed by police: 07779396890

Press release: https://naetaeg20.wordpress.com/2009/11/03/press-release-november-3-2009/

Directions: https://naetaeg20.wordpress.com/2009/10/29/directions-to-st-andrews/

For more information including & UPDATES: https://naetaeg20.wordpress.com/

 

See you in the streets, November 6th & 7th!

——
– brought to you by Nae Tae G20, an adhoc group of St. Andrews residents who love St. Andrews and hate the G20

[updated 7 November, 01:48]

The Courier: “St Andrews readies for world attention”

The Courier: “Students say Nae Tae G20”

The Courier: “Campaigners plan on having their say”

The BBC: “G20 ministers gather in Scotland”

Edinburgh Napier News: “‘Say Nae to the G20’ protest in St. Andrews”

AP: “G20 officials to wrestle over economic imbalances”

AFP: “G20 ministers mull global recovery, climate funding”

Teletext: “Protest at start of G20 meet”

STV: “‘Return to prosperity’ a key part of G20 talks”

BBC: “G20 ministers meet in St Andrews”

CBC News: “G20 debates how to let big banks fail”

AP: “G20 officials seek support for future growth”

The Times Online: “Mist and Rain Conspire to Cloak G20 Meeting in Mystery.”

The Saint [VIDEO]: “G20 6 November Rally in St Andrews”

Metro News Canada: “G20 finance officials face task of fulfilling pledge to lessen global trade, budget imbalances”

Tiscali [VIDEO]: “Nae Tae G20”

…more to come