German Police Suffer 179 Casualties in Hamburg Street Clashes
May 29 (Bloomberg)
German police and anti-globalization protesters clashed during running street battles in Hamburg yesterday in what authorities warned could be a foretaste of trouble at next week's summit of Group of Eight leaders.
Some 179 policemen were injured in the clashes, Hamburg police spokesman Andreas Schoepflin said. Authorities drafted in more than 2,800 policemen from six federal states to monitor a march of almost 4,000 protesters, he said. [more...]

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Stasi scent-tracking methods are being used...
Wednesday May 23, 2007
The Guardian
Stasi scent-tracking methods are being used to keep a check on selected protesters planning to demonstrate at next month's G8 summit. Scent traces collected directly from everything from people's palm sweat to their vests and cigarette lighters have been made available to investigators so that sniffer dogs can detect potentially violent protesters, federal prosecutors confirmed yesterday following reports in the German media. [more...]

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20.05.2007:
G8 MEETING
Police arrest 11 protesters near G8 finance ministers conference site
POTSDAM, Germany (Thomson Financial) - Police said 11 people were arrested yesterday near the site where G8 finance ministers are holding their weekend meeting after they shouted anti-G8 comments. The 11 were released subsequently, police said. Police said the 11 cycled Friday to a police outpost on the road leading to the conference site on Schwielow Lake, near Potsdam, where they then kicked traffic signposts and vehicles.

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Repression against autonomists is opened by the political police force of Nicolas Sarkozy in France.

Between the 2 turns of the presidential elections, political places and squats were searched, while the autonomists (people without label, not attached to politic organizations were put under fires of the projectors with an aim to stigmatize them and diabolise the dispute anti-Sarkozy. [more...]

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13.05.2007:
Hamburg: car impounded. Yesterday, the federal police impounded a car parked in a public location, with the justification that anti-G8 info materials were found in it.

13.05.2007:
Berlin police scrutinise youth seminar about G8 protests. On Sunday, Berlin police noted the particulars of participants at a workshop about the G8 protests organised by the leftist youth organisation Solid, impounding two mobile phones. Representatives of the Left Party were highly critical of the action.

13.05.2007:
After the raids in Berlin: tracking device discovered. Campinski Media Group, press release (excerpts): Three days after the raids throughout Germany, a police-tracking device was found attached to the car of one of the accused members of the authors' collective "AG Grauwacke", supposedly a founding member of the shadowy "Militant Campaign against the Economic Summit". Given that the device had almost certainly been attached to the car for a while, he counsels people involved in the raids to "check their cars thoroughly".

12.05.2007:
Hamburg: mass detention for demonstrators? Hamburg's interior senator Udo Nagel is planning to, if necessary, detain violent demonstrators against the G8. He called on peaceful protesters to distance themselves from violent ones.

12.05.2007:
embarrassing glitches in investigations against G8 critics. The SPIEGEL reports that investigators against anti-G8 activists made some embarrassing mistakes: some of the accused were warned of the actions through phone bills, mistakenly delivered letters. Some of the accused are already of pension age, the oldest one is 68. The police thus assume that they are unlikely to have carried out the actions themselves.

11.05.2007:
up to ten days preventive detention; regional government sets up mass prisons. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's interior minister pointed out that it was possible in his state to detain potential troublemakers for up to ten days. Later, a spokeswoman for the minister added that the state would certainly make full use of this option during the protests. It was noted, however, that immediately after such an arrest, a judge had to approve the detention, and decide on its duration.

11.05.2007:
interior minister threatens preventive detention. Zero tolerance against militant G8-critics: Germany's interior minister Schaeuble is threatening violent extremists planning to disturb the G8 summit in Heiligendamm with preventive detention. Militants could be detained for up to 14 days given proof of a planned crime. He also spoke of a generally increased threat level during the summit: "We should be warned: the terrible attacks in London took place during the G8-summit in Gleneagles."

10.05.2007:
reintroduction of border controls for the G8 summit. Germany's interior minister has decided that border controls will be re-imposed at Germany's borders with Schengen countries for the duration of and prior to the summit, in order to prevent potentially criminal and violent protesters from entering the country.

10.05.2007:
Leipzig: police brutality. A spontaneous demonstration in Leipzig against the arbitrary measures against left structures on 9.5.2007 was massively attacked by police.

09.05.2007:
Fasten your seatbelts! On the 9th of May, Germany's federal police (BKA) raided 40 locations across the country. 900 officers were deployed to intimidate individuals and left projects. Investigations are being conducted under §129a, concerning the "creation of a terrorist organisation aiming to prevent to the G8 summit". The background to the raids are actions by militant groups against state and commercial property. Only 2% of investigations conducted under this anti-terror law lead to convictions. The prosecution itself admits that the raids were not intended to prevent any concrete attacks, but simply to gather information.

08.05.2007:
Police wants hotel guests' particulars. The police is demanding that particulars of hotel guests staying in and around Heiligendamm should be handed over to them in advance. The police are pressuring proprietors, threatening them with hassle if they do not cooperate.

07.05.2007:
RAF-debate - internal security service warns of new left-wing terror. Baden-Wuerttemberg's internal security has warned that left-wing terrorism could experience a renaissance in Germany. Militant groups are said to increasingly iconise old members of the Red Army Faction, and increasingly refer to their ideas in a positive way, for example to a letter written by ex-RAF member Christian Klar.

07.05.2007:
G8 police chief in a good mood. Abramovski, leader of the police's special "Kavala" unit set up to police the 2007 G8 summit assesses their work over the last two years positively. During the summit he will have 580 officers working directly under him, and command some 16000 officers, at the cost of 100 million Euros. Together with colleagues from abroad, Abramovski will have to police tens of thousands of protesters, a few hundred who will come with less than peaceful intentions, and possibly individuals or small groups treated by the police under the heading "international terrorism".

06.05.2007:
Utrecht/Netherlands: 4 people still in jail after detention of 100 bicycle demonstrators. Press release of the bike caravan info-bureau in Rostock (excerpts) Yesterday, 100 participants in a bike demo in Utrecht were arrested and kept into the night in terrible conditions for not cycling on the bike lane. 4 of them remain in jail today.

06.05.2007:
Bad Doberan to be shut off? Signs are intensifying that the town of Bad Doberan will experience severe inconveniences during the summit: inhabitants will have to carry ID on them at all times. People not resident in Bad Doberan will need to carry letters from their employers proving their need to be there. Security experts point out that a strong security concept for the summit would be impossible without shutting off Bad Doberan.

05.05.2007:
G8: shopkeepers ought to secure their stores. Expecting riots during the main demonstration in Rostock, the police has warned shopkeepers to prepare for the riots by securing their stores.

05.05.2007:
Army deployment during G8 summit. While soldiers will not be taking offensive actions during the summit, they retain the right to defend themselves against crimes against the army, as well as the right to self-defence.

04.05.2007:
Kavala advertising on TV on radio against protests. The police have been warning of "troublemakers" since their first public event around Heiligendamm. Now they're going to the next level, using radio and TV advertisements. Also on tour: the police's "Infomobil"

01.05.2007:
undercover cops get their own special unit. Although it's no news that hundreds of undercover cops prowl the streets of Berlin on the first of May, now they finally get their own special unit: "Intelligence + Intervention". The special unit is likely to be deployed in Heiligendamm, so people are working on identifying them in advance.

30.04.2007:
30 people barred from visiting the fence. The police have already barred 30 people from getting to the fence around the summit location, but now, says Abramovski, they have stopped counting. Around the fence, the mood is decidedly "Big Brother", with video vans patrolling constantly. A resident: I was there when they built the wall. I remember.

30.04.2007:
A few weeks ago, interior security tried to recruit a teenager in Lueneburg as an informer. They tried to gain information about the left scene and activities in the town.

29.04.2007:
Militant G8 critics to be dealt with harshly. Regional officials in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are threatening militant summit critics with speedy trials if they commit crimes. Foreign violent protesters would be faced with fines from 150 to 2000 Euro, according to a list of punishments developed for the football world cup in 2006. At the same time, lawyers are preparing to support G8 critics for free, fearing infringements of their basic rights. There will be a legal emergency service in place.

28.04.2007:
G8 demo in Berlin - police accused of violence. Police are accused of beating demonstrators and intentionally damaging the sound car's equipment. According to the police, the demonstrators wilfully changed their route, so the police had to respond.

24.04.2007:
careless talk costs lives! Total surveillance in Hamburg: media are being asked not to report militant actions around the G8 summit; an info-hotline for denunciations has been set up; mobile phones are being located, phones tapped, cars traced. Interior minister Nagel: we will soon see results.

19.04.2007:
"Zero-Tolerance against summit hooligans". Hamburg's police chief Janosch has said that he wants to "fish out" the leaders of riots already before they reach Heiligendamm. The end of May will be exciting Hamburg: besides the summit protests, there will be the ASEM conference, and the opening of the contested Wasserturm-Hotel.

19.04.2007:
cops raid house project in Potsdam in search of anti-G8 banner. Some 50 cops stormed a house project in Potsdam, basing their action on a court order to impound a banner that had hung off the house. The banner, it was claimed, constituted an incitement to criminal activity.

18.04.2007:
repression and resistance to G8. The attack on the "Hanse-Gate" office building in Hamburg was related to the G8-summit in Heiligendamm. A Hamburg newspaper received a letter from the "Autonomous Anticapitalist Groups" criticising companies located in the building, and describing the action as "Warm-up" for the summit. On Saturday the 14th of April, persons unknown smashed windows in the building and threw paint bombs, causing damage of several tens of thousands of Euros.

17.04.2007:
police actions against the "walk by the fence" on the 15th of April. Participants: at least 220 (300 according to the media) "Security Forces": two water police boats, one helicopter, two-hundred riot cops, one special arrest squad, and many, many more...

11.04.2007
Police begins to formally ban activists from inspecting the fence in Heiligendamm: over the last few weeks, activists who have been inspecting the G8-fence (a 'technical barrier' in police jargon), activists have increasingly become the target of harassment and repression, with an increasing number being 'banned' from visiting the fence. Usefully for the police, the ban is unspecific both with respect to how long it lasts, and which area it actually covers.

11.04.2007
Interior ministers to meet in Heiligendamm. The interior ministers of the Northern German coastal states met on the 12th of April in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, to discuss internal security, in particular preparations for the G8 summit, and football hooliganism.

04.04.2007
US Navy threatens endangered porpoise: German conservationist NGOs have appealed to the US to refrain from employing sonar on the ships that will be protecting the G8 summit in Heiligendamm, as these have been known to cause mass beachings of porpoises.

03.04.2007
Police creates photo-bank of all residents of Heiligendamm, including those who will only have business in the town that day. There seems to be no resistance at all to this procedure, although data-protection experts voiced concerns.

02.04.2007
Security concept Heiligendamm: capitalism threatened from all sides! The European police congress, at which businesspeople and politicians meet with security forces to discuss the optimisation of surveillance and control, last february also saw the presentation of the security concept for Heiligendamm. Heads of state are seen as threatened by "different terrorist groupings", against which no total protection is possible. "Police experts stress over and over that the central location of Heiligendamm in Europe favours a significant intensification of the mobilising efforts of German and international alterglobalists." In turn, international cooperation amongst police forces is called for and celebrated.

01.04.2007
"To make fun of the police and their measures, and thus provoke police officers" - the first edition of the "KAVALA REPORT", published by the police's public relations office, informs other police forces about the preparations for Heiligendamm. Most importanly: the specialpolice unit "Kavala" will double in size, to 367 members, drawn from all over the country. The point of the report (which contains all manner of irrelevant information) is to bring the police forces on message. The message being: all those who will not stop their critique of capitalism at 'technical barriers'. Officers are informed that they will face the 'anti-globalisation movement', which already had to be shot at in Gothenburg and Genoa, due to their "looting, bombing, and rioting". Distinctions are made between 'peaceful' and 'not peaceful' forms of protest. The clowns get the best rap. Their actions are seen as aiming "to make fun of the police and their measures, and thus provoke police officers".

31.03.2007
"Surfing intensely". So far, no journalist has been allowed to visit the small headquarters of "Kavala" in Waldeck. So what are the more than 100 coppers working on? The police trade union visited the place and was impressed with what people there were working on: "surfing intensely". Beyond that: 130 officers are currently planning the mission, while 55 are working on feeding and housing the force during the action. Kavala will soon be joined by another 120 colleagues from other forces.

30.03.2007
data protection experts warn of G8-checks. As for the 30th of May, the residents oh Heiligendamm will be living in a high security zone, everyone who enters or leaves will need a special permit, which only those who consent to giving up all security-relevant data can acquire - even those who work or maybe have a garden there.

28.03.2007
Times are getting harder - and resistance (hopefully) stronger. After militant actions against cars of 'defence' executives last january and december, federal prosecutors are now coordinating with the federal police, who have set up a special commission to investigate the events. Such a security constellation has not been seen in Hamburg for a number of years.

27.03.2007
Total surveillance for the G8 summit: warships in the Baltic Sea, surveillance from the air, via cameras, phone tapping - this is what awaits the towns of Heiligendamm, Kuehlungsborn, Bad Doberan, and Rostock during the summit. Military experts say: no mouse will leave its hole without being under surveillance.

25.03.2007
Police escalation at the G8-fence: when groups from Hamburg, together with activists from Rostock, tried to conduct an inspection of the fences around Heiligendamm, they were stopped and kettled after 200 metres by 30 police officers. The activists had to identify themselves, and some were searched, during which several officers acted aggressively and insulted activists. Subsequently, and until now unusually, protesters were then banned from returning to the area for a week. After two hours in illegal custody, the activists were allowed to leave.

25.03.2007
Islamists in Heiligendamm? Contrary to all previous statements, German security services just noticed that "Islamists" were planning for attacks during the summit - in order to justify greater surveillance. The police mission will be the largest ever in Germany. In case of emergency, jets could be scrambled, and Navy Seals deployed.

24.03.2007
Police: largest police deployment ever in Germany. German security services fear attacks by Islamists on the upcoming G8 summit, basing this on "up-to-date threats from the dangerous scene, according to a spokesperson for the services. The meeting will be protected by military aircraft, US and German warships, special forces, anti-terror units, as well as 12000 police officers, making this the largest police deployment ever in German history.

23.03.2007
Single cells for G8 protesters: around 50 places in cells are currently being opened up to allow to hold prisoners on remand during and after the protests.

23.03.2007
Anti-EU-demo: police refuse a large part of the route. A demonstration against an EU summit called to celebrate the signing, 50 years ago, of the treaties of Rome, has been refused permission to march to the Pariser Platz, in order to keep them as far away as possible from the festivities.

23.03.2007
Police practicing for possible G8-mission. Yesterday, 106 officers practiced for the real thing on an airfield. The point of the exercise was to familiarise officers with large public order situations, such as demonstrations, football matches, or other large events.

22.03.2007
US-warships to guard Heiligendamm during the summit. According to German security sources, the US president's Protection Teams have insisted on a sea-based anti-air defense.

17.03.2007
Federal Police: G8 summit most likely target of militant antiglobalists, warning of a substantial 'terrorist threat' in connection with the summit.

16.03.2007
"Terrorism-experts" join the fray: media reports about the upcoming G8 summit increasingly give space to so-called 'terrorism experts' with conservative politics, and links to private security firms as well as numerous security services - such as Rolf Tophoven. These then speculate about highly unspecific 'terror groups', and 'sort targets'. Such vague scenarios are then frequently used to justify increased surveillance.

15.03.2007
Extra practice for Heiligendamm: a riot, a street fight. On one side, uniformed riot police, moving in unison in response the orders barked by their superiors. Dogs, Water Cannons, shields and batons. On the other, black hoodies, sweat pants. The two lines move towards each other. Fighting break out, the green uniforms are victorious. A battle in a civil war? No, only the final practice run for Heiligendamm, organised by the Schwerin police force.

12.03.2007
Camp working group controlled by police, cars searched: when activists from the camp working group came to inspect a potential camp site, they were expected and inspected themselves by the police. Their details were recorded, and their cars searched. This is an attempt at intimidation. Lutz Schiefelbein from the camp working group suggested that the next time, there would be a less accommodating response from the activists.

12.03.2007
Illegal raids in Muenchen: a court decided that raids on 11 radical projects and living space, carried out by 157 cops and two prosecutors before the Security Conference (Siko) in Munich, and during which 9 people were temporarily detained, and at least 12 computers were impounded, were (at least partly) illegal.

12.03.2007
Brandenburg police prepares for Condoleezza Rice's visit to Potsdam: even manholes are being welded shut. Berlin's black bloc, however, has not yet responded to the planned visit, but the police is worried about the 'militant group', which has been active in Brandenburg.

Source: [Gipfelsoli Infogruppe]