33rd G8 summit

The G8 summit in Heiligendamm in 2007 was the 33rd Summit of Heads of Government of the Group of Eight. The meeting under the German Presidency was held from 6 to 8 June first time in 2007 at the Grand Hotel Kempinski of around 15 kilometers west of Rostock nearby seaside resort of Heiligendamm and the fifth time in Germany. It was held under the motto "Growth and Responsibility".

The G8 Summit mobilized a broad protest movement, which organized various demonstrations during the summit. The massive security arrangements that were established because of the expected and announced protests that shaped the public debate ahead of the summit.

• 5.1 Alternative Summit 5.1.1 Attac
• 5.1.2 justice now!
• 5.1.3 church groups

• 6.1 searches before the summit 6.1.1 police
• 6.1.2 Left and anti-globalization scene

Agenda

The main topics were the shaping of globalization in the economic sector and the problems of the African continent. The special responsibility of the G8 for the world economy should be emphasized and strengthened the commitment of the G8 to the disadvantaged people in the world in this sense. As part of the Summit were also held talks with the representatives of the big emerging countries Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa (O5 ) States and the African countries Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, Algeria, Senegal and Ghana (Chairman of the African Union ), as representative of the NEPAD countries, instead.

In detail the following subjects were from the German Presidency has been put on the official agenda:

• Unwinding of global imbalances,
• Stability and transparency of financial and capital markets,
• Freedom to invest in developed and emerging countries,
• The social dimension of globalization,
• Innovations in knowledge-based societies,
• Protection against product and brand piracy,
• Sustainable use of resources,
• Energy efficiency and climate
• Africa's problems ( economic development, poverty, the fight against HIV / AIDS ).

Memoranda of Understanding and negotiation results

Aid for Africa

The G8 countries put on a 45 billion -euro program to combat AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria on the African continent. The U.S. wants to take over half the cost while Germany, 2015, carries 4 billion euros in costs.

The chairman of the African Union, John Kufuor, complained that previous promises by the G8 Summit in Gleneagles in 2005 but little implemented: " The G8 countries have so made ​​some promises - concerning increased development assistance, for example. We, the African Union, they will remember that these promises have yet to be redeemed. "

Climate

It was a stated goal of the federal government, but also of other summit participants to address the efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to develop renewable energy sources at the summit. By 2020, the share of solar energy, wind power and biomass in the total energy consumption of the G8 countries should be substantially expanded. According to media reports, the United States urged that does not include all specific statements about climate protection goals in the final declaration of the summit. Opposed to binding commitments regarding the reduction of CO2 emissions appeared to accelerated on the ASEM meeting in Hamburg, China and India.

The summit participants agreed to "seriously consider " 2050 to reduce global CO2 emissions by 50%. They recognized the United Nations to act as a platform for the climate process. The reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC ) and his claims were expressly accepted. The G8 environment ministers are to meet at the UN Climate Conference in Bali in December 2007, preparations for a follow-up agreement to the Kyoto Protocol.

Emerging

It was decided to institutional development of the Summit's discussions on the involvement of Canada (1976) and Russia (1998). The group of seven leading industrialized nations and Russia wanted to increase its cooperation with the major emerging countries, but without any of the Group of Eight, a group of 13 would. The integration is called Heiligendamm Process. Therefore, there should be regular institutionalized meetings of the G8 and the major emerging economies of China, India, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa, where it will first go mainly to climate change, development cooperation, protection of innovation and investment worldwide freedom. On the last day of the summit, the G8 leaders met with their counterparts from the major emerging economies.

Financial markets

Because of the resistance of the USA and Great Britain failed to agree on a voluntary code of conduct for hedge funds could be achieved. Only the request of Germany, to be followed by further discussion here, can be found in the final declaration. Financial market regulations were not resolved in the negotiations.

Freedom of investment

With freedom of investment had Chancellor Merkel, taken in addition to the protection of intellectual property issues on the agenda, which were in their opinion, just for the German economy is of considerable importance. Thus, the G-8 was concerned about the increase in protectionism and warned of the danger that the liberalization gains achieved in the nineties would be restricted. Despite international agreements which govern the free movement, investors would be hampered in many states.

Product and brand piracy

At the meeting the demand for a better protection of intellectual property played an important role. The participants of the summit pledged to pursue protection against product and brand piracy stronger. Customs and law enforcement authorities are networked and an international electronic customs information system be established. Also on measures to reduce the demand for counterfeit products in their home markets was discussed.

Other topics

Besides the official conference program of bilateral meetings were held at which topics were also discussed, which were not on the agenda. This included a joint missile defense project of the USA and Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested the stationing of missiles in Azerbaijan. In order to locate the radar station Qəbələ could be used, which was leased by Russia until 2012. U.S. President Bush the proposal was an "interesting idea ".

Cost and safety measures

For the event in Heiligendamm, the State Government reckoned with costs in the amount of 92 million euros, of which the state of Mecklenburg -Vorpommern 68 million euros should take over. According Ostseezeitung Federal Finance and Ministry of the Interior counted one week after the summit with additional costs in the amount of nearly 30 million euros. To protect the summit a twelve- kilometer long and 2.50 meter high fence with barbed wire, camera surveillance and motion detectors built around the venue in January 2007 among others. The costs amounted to 12.5 million euros expected. In addition, other barriers were erected by the army in the area of ​​the route of Molli.

According to a report of the television station NDR from November 2007, the country's share of the costs in the amount of 70 million euros by contributing 25 million euros from the European Social Fund should be reduced to about 45 million euros.

The entire complex surrounded the so-called exclusion zone I, in which only local people and suppliers had access. In a corridor of 200 meters in width to the barrier fence around was from 30 May to 8 June 2007, a ban on assembly. For the protection of this area, the police Mecklenburg -Vorpommern was responsible. In addition, the prohibition zone I was with a second security area, the so-called exclusion zone II, secured. These included a ban of the zone I once again by several kilometers upstream. For the protection of the Baltic Sea to the surrounding sea area Heiligendamm was completely blocked. In order to enforce the exclusion zone and the monitoring of the lake next to the police and the German Navy should be used. Also, the airspace was partly closed: In the so-called " restricted area Heiligendamm " was the civil aviation to FL100 ( about 3 km altitude) within 30 nautical miles ( 55 km) prohibited, another restricted area was next around the airport Parchim furnished.

The Rostock-Laage airport was closed during the summit for commercial flight operations. The flights were diverted to Neubrandenburg Airport. Even within the Rostock airport a meeting ban was enacted here from 2 to 8 June 2007.

To secure the summit 16,000 police officers and to provide logistical support and security of sea and airspace with military equipment such as Tornado fighter aircraft were employed 1,100 soldiers of the Bundeswehr. For the coordination of police forces in connection with the summit a special organizational unit was formed under the name " Kavala ".

For the time of the summit, German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble ordered the application of border control at internal Schengen borders of Germany.

The Police Directorate Rostock had issued a large-scale meeting to ban the venue several kilometers around the barriers and in seaborne restricted area before Heiligendamm and a stop band around the airport Rostock. Critical globalization organizations strained to the Administrative Court of Schwerin on a " fast track " against the ban. Attac accused the authorities in this connection, to create " Russian conditions ". The judge restricted in the first instance a ban on the 200 meters in front of the barrier fence. The Higher Administrative Court Greifswald, however, set aside that judgment again.

In addition, a ban on assembly was lifted in Schwerin, where among other things, the NPD had announced a demonstration.

The arranged by the police ban on meetings around the airport Rostock- Laage had been set by the Schwerin Administrative Court after a legal challenge under conditions partially suspended. Likewise, two urgent applications were rejected at the Federal Constitutional Court for a demonstration on Rostock -Laage airport and a vigil at the "fence" of Heiligendamm on June 5. On 6 June 2007 the Karlsruhe court also rejected the urgent application of the prohibition of the globalization critics planned for June 7 "star march " towards the venue mainly because of the previous riots in Rostock and the risks involved for security in Heiligendamm from, but criticized the spacious Assembly ban on the 200 - meter zone in front of the fence beyond the constitutionally questionable.

After five years, the Higher Administrative Court of Greifswald has decided in August 2012 in the last instance, that the prohibition of the star march was illegal against the summit.

Reporting

In all, several thousand journalists were expected to peak. They were housed in the cooling Born six kilometers away, in a building constructed for 15.4 million euro press center. Journalists should be brought to the Molli steam train to the venue, but this was prevented by blockages in one day. Alternatively, journalists were brought by sea to Heiligendamm.

Critically with the very strict for them safety measures were seen by many journalists. So a trip to the actual venue through the many controls is often associated with a half day on time.

For the production of images of peak areas from which few journalists are allowed, called a pool large German TV channel was formed. The lead was placed at the NDR, in the production of the world picture, which will be made available to television stations around the world, next to the German wave, ZDF, Phoenix, n-tv and N24 were involved.

Globalization critics had organized independent projects to report. Most used the Internet as a distribution platform, so there was live ticker, Internet radio and a television project.

Laura Bush states in her memoirs that several members of the American delegation ( including George W. Bush) on the summit showed poisoning symptoms. George W. Bush missed several meetings because of the illness. The Secret Service investigated the area for venoms, but was according to official sources not find it. The responsible chef rejected this as absurd, even BKA and the Chancellor's Office to have no knowledge.

Alternative summit and demonstrations

Alternative Summit

The three-day so-called alternative summit in Rostock should be an alternative to the meeting of the G8. It was organized by an alliance of Attac, VENRO, justice now! , Via Campesina and other organizations. At the same time the G8 summit he offered panel discussions with personalities such as Jean Ziegler, Annelie Buntenbach, Walden Bello, John Holloway and Vandana Shiva, as well as more than 100 thematic workshops on issues of global development.

Attac

Attac rejected the merger of the G8 countries as undemocratic, because in their view, pursuing a policy that benefits only the rich and powerful states. Attac is committed to create "Prosperity for All " to enforce " social human rights " around the world, and calls for a " solidary economic order that people and the environment at the center is ". As part borne by Attac Move against G8 campaign was a cultural program with participation of Wir sind Helden, Jan Delay and Kettcar instead. On the arrival of the delegations of the airport Rostock- Laage should be blocked on the following days the access roads to the summit. In addition, Attac called on the state of Mecklenburg -Vorpommern, the district of Bad Doberan and the Hanseatic city of Rostock, to provide the necessary infrastructure for the accommodations of the people in camps and for the discharge of the events.

Justice now!

Justice now! as an action alliance of 42 diverse non-governmental organizations from the church, development, environment and employees ( including Misereor, Bread for the World, Church Development Service, IG Metall, INKOTA network, Verdi, terre des hommes, Oxfam and BUND ) called a fair world trade policy. The G8 will not be seen as a partner, would be sent to the demands, but as illegitimate club of powerful states.

Church groups

Also took Catholic aid agencies like Caritas Internationalis, the Episcopal Relief and Works Agency Misereor the summit as an opportunity to also appeal to the summit participating States.

Catholic organizations such as Pax Christi and the Federation of German Catholic Youth ( BDKJ ) and the Education Department of the Franciscan Mission Centre actively participated at the alternative summit and the protests.

Social Forums

The World Social Forum and the continental and regional social forums offered counter-events to the tops of the World Trade Organization ( WTO), the Davos World Economic Forum and the annual world economic summits of the leaders of the G8 countries. The forums were open meetings to allow direct influence and discussion of ideas for civilian persons and groups. Content, they were directed against neoliberalism and of capital or any form of imperialism -dominated world and stood up for the construction of a humane society. According to its own Charter ( Charter of Principles of the World Social Forum ) should considered together, debating different views, formulated proposals and experiences are exchanged freely.

Opening demonstration in Rostock

The summit was attended by numerous protest actions that took place on Saturday 2 June with a major international demonstration in the city of Rostock first climax. The two of an alliance -globalization organizations (Attac, Interventionist Left and others) organized marches ended with an hour-long final rally with concerts and speeches at the city harbor. Estimates of the number of participants from police and organizers varied 25000-80000 participants, whereas other estimates go from about 50,000 participants. Immediately within sight of the peaceful passing final rally and in the ensuing period there was heavy fighting and street battles between about 2,000 so-called Black Bloc Autonomous and 5,000 police officers. First, according to the police a number of about 1,000 wounded was announced. These figures have been corrected in the following days down significantly.

Already during the demonstration; from Central Station to the city's harbor had come to the destruction of glass doors and windows of two savings bank branches. After the arrest of a masked man on the edge of the rally, there was stone throwing on a police vehicle. During the turn the site of the final rally, the police entered by force in the demonstration. It also was injured demonstrators who were not involved in the stone throwing. Some of the protesters tried the massive advance of the police dismissed by non-violent de-escalation, while another part continues threw stones at the security forces. The first situation calmed down when the police withdrew after several thrusts. It then came to various property damage in the vicinity of the city port and the situation escalated again after police tried several times by force to storm the place and sat militants during the final rally in sight of the main grandstand a car and various other materials into fire and several police officers injured in the use were. Police used water cannons then to expel militants and peaceful demonstrators from a rear portion of the rally course and so to allow the fires. It came to a total of around 125 arrests. In a summary trial before a court of Rostock first one of the parties was sentenced to ten months in prison without parole. Other sentences against perpetrators of violence followed. Whether against police officers for conscious or negligent assault in criminal proceedings, the public prosecutor has not decided until mid-2009. Having been in numerous media was first of damage to public facilities in the amount of about one million euros mentioned, this number was corrected subsequently to 50,000 euros.

Some demonstrators accused the police for provoking the violence. In addition, the suspicion was expressed that inadequate safety measures were part of a strategy before the demonstration to facilitate the escalation. The use of agent provocateurs has been suggested (see also Peter Wahl # criticism ).

Blockades around Heiligendamm

On the day of the summit commencement succeeded several thousand demonstrators, despite the demonstration ban to go using the five finger tactics to the vicinity of the barrier fence and block all access routes. The demonstrators moved it across country in small groups to their objectives and were not directed precisely quantified property damage caused by the trampling of crops and as the release of bovine animals. It came in the subsequent blocks only to isolated skirmishes, there is also at least one Agent Provocateur have goaded the demonstrators. An alleged instigator of the police want to have photographed at the blockade actions in Bad Doberan on June 6 demonstrators. Members of the Lawyers Lichen emergency service ( "Legal Team") were escorting the accused from an angry group of demonstrators out to the security forces. After the police had initially denied any use of civilian officials, they later admitted that the excluded from the demonstration husband was a civil servant. The police denied that the said person had called for criminal offenses; the opposite is the public accusation of a demonstration participant.

All messages that individuals would with various objects such as billiard balls or filled with razor blades fruits, arm of the peaceful mass blockades to attack the police, set out to be a false out. From the Block G8 Alliance, which organized the mass blockades, has already been made ​​clear in advance that the test should run completely free of violence, which can be confirmed in retrospect too. Violent blockade experiments, mostly against objects, took place only in an acting decentralized, autonomous small groups.

Greenpeace action

25 activists of the environmental organization Greenpeace invaded with eleven rafts temporarily into the exclusion zone. All boats were intercepted by the water police on the amount of cooling Born, two inflatables were doing rammed by the police.

More protests

In the days after the big demonstration took action day held on various topics. On the day before the summit, the beginning and during the summit, among other actions took place mainly decentralized sit-ins that were associated with Tactical frivolity.

On June 3, a day of action was held on the topic of global agriculture. This included a demonstration in front of the Landwirtschirtschaftlichen Faculty of the University of Rostock. There is research on green technology. The demonstration then moved to the final rally on the Neuer Markt. Later moved a further demonstration of Rostock to Great Lüsewitz where field trials are carried out.

On June 4, several demonstrations took place against the migration policy, including in Rostock's light Hagen and at Rostock- Laage Airport. Also, there was again sporadic clashes after a demonstration with around 10,000 to 15,000 participants had been prematurely terminated by the organizers. The police had earlier cordoned off the intended route through the city center, because the event was subscribed to only 2,000 participants.

On 7 June, a concert was held under the slogan " Make Poverty History ", attended by many famous musicians played.

About 1,000 protesters were briefly detained during the summit, police records show. They were then placed in so-called " detention centers " ( detention center ). This was, this is temporary, partly, the cells were with gratings restricted areas from 20 to 30 m² in a warehouse. Because, among other things partly also a 24 -hour video surveillance was installed and, according to statements by protesters, the cells were overcrowded and always lit, was protested against this treatment. Lawyers of the arrested demonstrators reimbursed against the responsible magistrate display false imprisonment and violation of the law. Media representatives have not been granted access to facilities.

Two protesters who were detained for five days in police custody, accused in German courts to the Federal Constitutional Court unsuccessfully against this measure. Detention has been recognized as a violation of human rights only by ruling of the European Court of Human Rights on 1 December 2011 and sentenced Germany for compensation,

Emergency legal service

More than 100 international lawyers organized before and during the protest together with the investigating committees an emergency legal service to defend the rights of the protest movement. Part of this "legal teams " were members of the Republican lawyers and attorneys association. Their work was later honored by the Criminal Law of the German Bar Association pro reo and the International League for Human Rights with prices. In December 2007, the emergency services put his work and his legal consequences of the repression of the protest movement in the documentation " enemy demonstrator" before.

Inquiries prior to the protest movement

Security officials expected, according to its spokesman massive, violent protests and tried under circumstances in advance with large-scale searches ( " water hammer action " ) claims to information on planned violent actions to obtain.

Searches of the Summit

On 9 May 2007, searched about 900 police officers on the basis of judicial decisions on behalf of the Chief Federal Prosecutor Monika Harms 42 properties in six states (Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Bremen, Schleswig -Holstein and Lower Saxony), including private homes and convergence centers. The investigations focused on militant opponents of the G8 summit, possibly planned acts of violence. The search warrants were issued as part of an investigation on suspicion of formation of terrorist organizations ( § 129a StGB). The use of the Federal Prosecutor with the suspicion against people who were the " militant left-wing extremist environment " attributed " to have founded a terrorist organization " one was justified. To provisional detention or arrest warrants did not happen here, said the spokesman for the Attorney General Frank Wallenta. In the following weeks to the summit, there were no arrests because the investigation results.

On a farm in Brandenburg should have been found during the raids instructions for the fabrication of high explosive and incendiary devices. In Hamburg " false and falsified identity documents " were seized these documents, however, have turned out to be a fake student ID. Furthermore, were discovered in the raid alarm clock, wires, watches and more fireworks.

In January 2008, the Federal Court ruled that the raids were illegal, the federal prosecutor was not responsible. There would be " sustainable doubt " that the accused had formed a terrorist organization. It should also be to see any particular significance of the case. Both, however, was a prerequisite for the acquisition of the investigation by the Attorney General.

The protests were limited from the perspective of critics with these illegal raids by the largest police operation in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany, with military action by building a 12 -kilometer fence and manipulation of the media and fundamental democratic rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly were injured.

Police

Konrad Freiberg, chairman of the police union (GdP ), warned of a growing influence of former RAF terrorist on the left scene today. So were performances by Inge Viett and Ralf Reinders at May Day rallies signs. His exact words were: "We will live to see that left-wing extremists commit arson and by referring to the RAF. "

Left and anti-globalization scene

The house project was Bethany shortly after the incidents a press conference. The anti-globalization movement Attac officially distanced itself from violent protests.

On the evening of the same day there were several spontaneous demonstrations, including Amsterdam, Berlin, Bochum, Bremen, Cottbus, Duisburg, Giessen, Göttingen, Hamburg, Hannover, Jena, Leipzig, Leverkusen, Marburg, Rostock, Siegen, Mannheim and Wolfsburg. While the demonstration was peaceful in Berlin with 5,000 participants, it came in Hamburg then riots, where the police took action against protesters who lit firecrackers among others.

After initial outrage positive findings of the police actions were also taken in leftist circles, since there were numerous protests against the raids. The former Minister Heiner Geissler of the CDU came Attac at in the following days. In the press frequently spoke of a "moving together " which has been in Berlin and fragmented left -globalization scene. The raids and the great media coverage would have to mobilize four weeks before the summit once again boosted tremendously.

Further Investigation

Ahead of the summit was tested under a court order by the Hamburg police on behalf of the Attorney General in a postal distribution center post of several neighborhoods over two days before delivery. Civil servants said to have been present at mailbox flushes while having withdrawn from the ordinary logistics path to the mail center before shipment suspicious letters. Only after a test, the letters of Deutsche Post had been passed back to the transport. A suspicious parcel was opened here by the police. Twelve officers were parked for several days in a mail center of the Deutsche Post AG for the post search.

In addition, the Hamburg state police have tried Internet cafes to install CCTV to move in order to evaluate the recordings can then. In addition, markets of Schlecker drugstore chain had reached the attention of the security, as had been found in places of arson attacks on cars utensils from these markets.

During and after the summit there were several fast-track procedure by the authorities. A German and a Spaniard were sentenced to nine months in prison without parole for aggravated breach of the peace. A man from Poland got six months probation, another Spaniard, and another German was sentenced to ten months in prison.

Controversy surrounding Bundeswehr mission

To support the massive police operation was requested around the Bundeswehr for monitoring the air space and extensive protection of the sea area around the conference hotel in the context of assistance. In addition, the Bundeswehr gave logistical and medical support assistance.

As the German Army was also used to monitor the protesters, it came to the controversy surrounding the legality of this insert. On June 5, the bearing in Reddelich, camped in the thousands of opponents of the summit was overflown by reconnaissance aircraft of the Armed Forces of type Tornado and made ​​this aerial photographs. This is " [ ... ] G8 summit of Mecklenburg- Vorpommern [ ... ] in the framework of technical assistance at the request of the organizing staff " happen.

On June 13, 2007 Rainer Arnold saw in his capacity as defense policy spokesman for the SPD parliamentary group in contrast to parts of the SPD and the Greens, who in May and June as the use of Tornado reconnaissance aircraft to spy the enemy of the G8 summit in Heiligendamm breach of the constitution criticized, only a classic case of assistance under Article 35 of the Basic Law: ". 's crucial that the Bundeswehr accepts no police authority tasks such as making fences, control people or search houses " the defense spokesman of the Greens Winfried Nachtwei sees the process, a " bending of the Constitution". The use 've overstretched the limits of technical assistance. The Defence and the Interior Committee of the German Bundestag were involved in following the summit with the insert.

Satellite reconnaissance

Before and during the G8 summit satellite images of control points and meeting places in Heiligendamm were made by DLR. The application was part of research for the detection of major events with the help of satellite images. On the satellite image acquisition activities of task forces and demonstrators can be seen. The operational control of the THW received the satellite image maps in real time. Was used by the DLR for this satellite communications, which was provided by the ESA research program ARTES 3 in order to gain more experience in this area. The recovered by the research findings are to be included, especially in the LIMES EU project.