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Home | Friday 3rd April 2009 | Issue 671

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NATO SUMMIT STRASBOURG

The anarchist circus moves on to France and Germany for the NATO summit in Strasbourg on April 3rd-4th. Top of the agenda for the assembled militarys and governments will be a new strategy for the failing war in Afghanistan. The French Interior Minister, Alliot-Marie, declared the countries borders closed to those whose 'looks and clothing' don't fit due to the 'threat of terrorism' and 'unrest of radical proportion'. Dozens of protesters travelling from Germany were forbidden entry into France, Luxembourg and Switzerland. The police has already been questioning protesters, water cannons have been moved in to place and helicopters are circling overhead. 3000 are estimated to have gathered at the camp.

On Thursday afternoon around a thousand protesters, including a large black block, marched from the camp towards Strasbourg city centre. As the police fired tear gas, the marchers erected barricades and set rubbish bins on fire. An army barracks had its windows smashed and was paint bombed. Getting carried away some of the black block also smashed bus shelters and car windows. Hundreds were arrested as police chased the marchers back to the camp. Later in the evening the police besieged the camp, firing in tear gas and rubber bullets and making incursions into different areas of the camp.

Meanwhile across the border in Baden-Baden a smaller demo with around 200 was taking place.

* See http://linksunten.indymedia.org

Keywords: direct action, france, nato summit, strasbourg


 

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