G8 Summit in Heiligendamm – Police Germany

During the G8 Summit in Heiligendamm lasting from 6th June until 8th June 2007 not only State guests will be expected but also tens of thousands of globalization critics who here in this region want to peacefully make use of the right of the freedom of speech and of freedom of assembly embodied in the Constitution.

Critics of the summit have already started with the planning concerning their events and demonstrations in the district of Heiligendamm. For the moment, they focus attention on board and lodging. Hotels, guest houses and holiday houses are mainly booked up. Therefore, the organisers are planning the establishment of camps which they themselves consider to be rest areas and from where they will go and see the venues and the meeting places. That’s why they are having talks with the Hanseatic city of Rostock as well as further cities and communities in the districts of Bad Doberan and Güstrow.

On today’s afternoon the commanding officer of the planning staff Kavala met with the Member of Landtag (state parliament) Birgit Schwebs, Linkspartei.PDS (left-wing party.PDS) and Adolf Riekenberg, Attac Deutschland forming the G8 co-ordination group who is responsible for the camps.

“If the globalization critics who are to be expected to come in numbers find unsatisfactory logistics according to their purposes, they will resort to stopgap measures. Nobody is interested in “wild camping”. Therefore, I on principle back the establishment of camps”, said commanding officer Knut Abramowski.

The preparations for the camps in Bützow as well as the efforts of the Hanseatic city of Rostock to provide public places are positive examples for the constructive cooperation between the organisers, the local authorities and the police.

The BAO Kavala keeps on cooperating constructively with the G8 co-operation group regarding the establishment of camps: “Certainly, we will support the critics of the summit in establishing camps but always taking account of the security relevant measures, and also we keep on advising the towns and communities in both districts and the Hanseatic city of Rostock”, offers Abramowski.