Police powers and presence for the G8 summit

What to expect and how to protect yourself
In 2006, the regional parliament of the German state of Mecklenburg Vorpommern (hereafter M-V), where the G8 will take place, passed a new Security and Public Order Act which increased the powers of the police during protests. Officially, the Act was passed in the name of the fight against terrorism and organised crime, but as the timing of this legislation as well as Genoa, Gleneagles and the World Cup have shown, these legal and executive powers are predominantly used to police demonstrations at summits and football events. They include: red zones, restriction of movement, huge police presence, police encircling of demonstration, mass arrests and arbitrary banning order issued against individuals from public places for the duration of the protests.[read more...]