[Pressrelease] G8 summit/Utrecht: 4 protestors still arrested

[Presswork G8 2007 (english)]

*Pressrelease by the bicycle caavan info office in Rostock* 

 Further information: Andree Narres, ++49 - 160 - 953 14 023 

G8 summit: Four still arrest after violent arrests of 100 bicycle 
demonstrators 

*100 participants in a peaceful bicycle demonstration violently arrested in 
Utrecht / NL: 4 people still arrested*
*Arrests clearly planned ahead by the police*
100 participants of a peaceful bicycle demonstration that was part of the 
bicycle caravan against the G8 were arrested in Utrecht yesterday in a 
planned and violent police action for not driving on the icycle path. They 
were kept in arrest under adverse circumstances - overcrowded cells, 
insufficient oxygen supply, without food - long into the night, their 
bicycles confiscated. Four people are still under arrest today, among them 
at least two member sof the bicycle caravan Gr8chaoskaravaan; one arrestee 
is being threatened with deportation and one is to remain arrested for two 
weeks for failing to pay a fine. None of the four remaining arrestees has 
had contact to a lawyer so far and it is not know where they are being kept. 
Another caravan member was released but had his passport confiscated by the 
"foreigners police". The caravan info office protested against the 
criminalisation of protests actions ahead of the G8 summit and calls for 
solidarity actions "until everyone is out". Preparations for solidarity 
actions are currently taking place. 

BACKGROUND: 

The caravan and several supporters were leaving the town early saturday 
afternoon when the police closed in on them with batons drawn under the 
pretext that they had not used the bicycle path. The police assault took 
place without warning, very quickly and using a special unit. Due to the 
well prepared nature of the police action and the number of policemen 
involved, the caravan is sure that the action was clearly planned 
beforehand. "This action and the violence the police used against the 
peaceful bicycle protestors is untypical for the netherlands", Antje, a 
caravan member explains. "We can't find any other plausible explanation than 
this: That the protest against the G8 summit is to be criminalised and 
terrorized even ahead of the actual event."
The demonstrators were kept in overcrowded cells with little oxygen supply 
and no food long into the night. Their bicycles were cinfiscated and 
removed, the locks broken and the bikes themselves partly broken, although 
most of them were retrieved from the police depot today. The arrestees were 
accused of "heavy obstruction of road traffic" and were treated badly while 
under arrest; several people reported that the police threatened "we were 
tolerant today but don't participate in the action tomorrow or you'll really 
get to know us!". They were referring to an antiracist inspection of a 
deportation camp that the caravan wanted to participate in today. But the 
activists wouldn't let the police intimidate them - although mayn were too 
tired after the night in prison, a small delegation rode to the camp.
Meanwhile preparations for solidarity actions are taking place in Utrecht 
and other towns. Activists had already called for solidarity actions 
yesterday. "The pretexts for arrests are becoming ever more hollow, the 
whole matter shows that any protest ahead of the G8 summit is unwanted and 
to be criminalised ahead. This is a massive interference with basic rights 
and we are not going to take it. We have called for solidarity actions until 
all prisoners are free and have their bicycles returned" says Andree Narres 
from the the info office of the bicycle caravans.
The bicycle caravan had inteded to arrive in Nijmwegen later today where the 
local action days against the upcoming G8 summit are starting today. Now at 
least a part of the caravan will probably stay in Utrecht until the 
situation of the arrested caravan members has clarified. Andree Narres: "The 
authorities aren't leaving anything undone to interfere with the caravan 
timetable. There are also fears that the caravans entry into Germany is to 
be made difficult by such criminalisation. An absurd scenario: To be denied 
entry for not having used a bicycle path!" exclaims Andree Narres. Germany 
wants to temporarily suspend the Schengen treaty to make it difficult or 
impossible for potential demonstrators to enter the country.
Overall there are six caravans trying to draw attention to the protests 
against the upcoming G8 summit and protest issues such as migration, bio 
technology, environment, agriculture, social justice and civil rights as 
well as current struggles in these areas.
Information about the Gr8chaoskaravaan - western europe bicycle caravan 
against the G8 summit:
http://de.indymedia.org/2007/05/175412.shtml
Information about all bicycle caravans:
http://dissentnetzwerk.org/wiki/Fahrradkarawanen_/_bicycle_caravans
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Info office for all caravans
Karawanen-info-büro
G8-Protestzentrum Ehm-Welk-Schule
Knut Rassmussenstr. 108
18106 Rostock