Peaceful Demo. in Poland Against US Missile Base Ends In Police Brutality
'Slupsk=Second Belarus!End the Repression!'
On Saturday March 29th over 700 people attended a protest at noon in the city of Slupsk, Northern Poland, against the Polish government's plans to permit the construction of a US missile base, part of their notorious 'Star Wars' program. On Friday and Saturday solidarity vigils were held with Polish activists in Prague, Dublin, London, Hamburg, Berlin, Moscow, Washington and the U.S. spy base at Fylingdales in England.
The demonstration was organised by a wide range of Polish anarchist groups working together as the Polish Campaign Against Militarism. A variety of representatives from other political groups and anti-militarist campaigns attended the demonstration. The 'No Logo' guideline helped keep focus on participants opposition to the missile base and avoided a space which merely provided a marketing opportunity for political parties to promote themselves.
It was the first time a manifestation was held at the potential site for the U.S. government's missile defence program in Poland, where they intend to have 10 ground based interceptors costing billions of dollars. In return, the Polish government are requesting the U.S. help modernise the Polish army to the tune of $20 billion by 2015.
A recent poll conducted amongst residents of Slupsk city established that 60% of residents are against the proposed missile base and that 87% demand a referendum on the issue. The opposition level is similar throughout Poland. An agreement may be signed between both governments as early as June, construction would most likely occur from January 2009 and be completed by 2013.
Approximately 200 local residents listened and participated in a 'Hyde Park' public debate by the town hall while a 'No Missile Shield' newspaper was distributed outlining the arguments against the missile base and increased militarisation. AA large majority of locals who spoke and were in attendance were opposed to the missile shield.
The Food Not Bombs group kept participants strong and healthy with delicious vegetarian food.
Two excellent samba bands from Gdansk and Poznan and a street theatre group from Torun and Slupsk led the demonstrators through the streets after the public discussion has concluded. Placards had slogans including, 'We don't want to be a missile shield for the U.S.', 'No Shield, No War, We are for Peace', while participants chanted and danced around the city centre. It attracted a lot of attention and many local residents, both young and old, joined in.
At the end of the demonstration 100 people marched 4km from Slupsk to the ex-soviet military base next to the town of Redzikowo and likely site for U.S. weapons. Riot police blocked participants entrance and forced them from the area, which is currently a disused Polish military property undergoing.
The demonstration finished in Redzikowo town at 4.30pm where demonstrators had positive interactions with local residents, despite the bad weather. The reception we received bodes well for future co-operation. Appeals were made at a military barracks for Polish soldiers to stop fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq and to resist defending the violent interests of the rich and powerful arms companies and politicians against their peaceful fellow citizens.
Police repression and revenge against activists
At 6am, on Sunday morning after the demonstration, police violently broke their way into an apartment in Slupsk, arresting 23 anti-missile defence activists under the pretext that they were disturbing the 'night silence'. They used tear gas and batons, forcing their way into the apartment and beating the 18-25 year old peace activists staying there. One person had his arm broken.
By noon on Sunday, 30 protestors had gathered outside the police station where the anti-militarist activists were being detained. The police are accusing some of the arrested of unethical force against a police officer and disturbing the peace. It remains to be seen whether the injured activists will bring charges against the police officers for their brutal revenge on those opposed to the U.S. missile base.
At 8pm Sunday 13 remained in police custody. They are due to be released by 3pm tomorrow. activists are due to be released
Funds to support the repressed activists and the Campaign Against Militarism would be gratefully appreciated. If you want to donate to support the efforts to stop the construction of the missile base in Poland you can do so by transferring your donation to this account:
Jakub Gawlikowski
(PL) 05 1140 2004 0000 3702 4238 2269
BRE Bank S.A. Retail Banking, al. Mickiewicza 10, 90-050 Łódź
BIC/SWIFT: BREXPLPWMUL
SORT CODE: 11402004
Very important:
Write "Against the Missile Shield" for general campaign support.
Write "For Repressed Activists" to support those currently arrested.
Videos of demonstration:
http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/Wiadomosci/1,80273,5069861.html
http://www.gp24.pl/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=tarcza
Photos of demonstration
http://www.tarcza.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=123&Itemid=2
Polish Campaign Against Militarism
English Contacts: 0048607340093
0048662535719
Comments
Do you know, Damien, if the group arrested in the apartment weren't just being rowdy and noisy, thus keeping people awake? I always read melodramatic movement accounts with a certain amount of skepticism.
Seems if the authorities simply wanted to arrest and hassle the activists involved, they could have just busted them at the demos. And it would have been more effective and to better effect for the demonstrators if they got arrested at the actual demos as well, methinks. As it is now, my guess is that there will more than a few complaints sworn out against those arrested by folks living in the apartment complex.
The cops sat back and didn;t give the media an image that would be favourable to the protestors. It would have been far more effective if a simple act of civil disobedience was properly planned and carried out at the base.
But, the over the top response of the cops is clearly a sign they want to send out to those who will protest in the future. Fuck around and we'll nail you to the ground.
Pity is, the issue and energy has now understandably changed to anti-repression activities, solidarity with those charged, though these charges are of course unrelated to the politics and purpose of those visiting the area.
It is very convenient for the State to have this scenario. Dragging people through courts for years, curtailing their freedom of movement (9 cannot leave the country and have to sign on at the cop shop every now and again), is a unnecessary distraction for a movement that is already small and faces enormous opposition from those who pull the strings.
Nobody plead not guilty? They were all required to pay a fine to be released?
But you're right about the issue being diverted as a result of some silliness. While I like @n@rchist insistence on having fun, sometimes folks get carried away a bit too much.
They admitted to disturbing the 'night silence'. Disturbing the peace has more violent connotations.
They cannot leave the country because the cops did not want these people travelling to Nato summit in Bucharest and telling their stories, fundraising in Germany, for example.
They are required to pay a fine by a certain date, €150, but it was not dependent on their release.
The true assholes in this scenario are cops who violently break down the door of a private residence, gas and baton people inside, even those who had previously been sleeping.
The cops said that neighbours called, but there is no confirmation of that. It is just as possible that the activists were followed home from the post-demo. gig in the city.
There is no doubt that the night silence was broken, but the reaction of the cops was totally overboard.
And one thing is for certain, the breaching of night silence elsewhere in the city had no such consequences. The night silence in my block is breached 3 times a week but cops don;t come storming in all gung-ho looking for a scrap.
It remains to be seen whether charges will be brought against some cops for their violent behaviour. Don't hold your breath though, you'll get real blue!
And certainly folks should press charges if their door was broken down for no reason, if they were beaten, etc.
If the door was opened, I don't see why it would have been broken down.
And folks should go to court pleading not guilty if they were sleeping or not making noise.
Just curious, were you there Damien?
My guess is still that there were folks acting like assholes on both sides.
Again, a deal like this detracts from the real issue and makes it more difficult to mobilize people in the future if they feel that even a few folks are going to act as provocateurs.
The door was initally opened then closed when the people inside thought it was a raid.
It remains to be seen whether Polish people opposed will be willing to put their liberty on the line at the next demo.,during the demo. The anti-NATO actions in Belgium recently saw 500 arrests:
Bombspotting
A fairly simple act on the part of the protestors but that breaks the unwritten agreement between demonstrators and cops at most demos - u walk around, I'll get overtime, u go home, I'll pay off my mortgage quicker, the bombs will still be built, the wars will still be waged, and there is sweet fuck all that ur demo will do about it.
Authorities want arrests avoided, at all costs. It brings media attention, which in turn can bring sympathy to the protestors (depending on what tactics of course) and highlights the issue on the public agenda.
Whether clone-demos, mass nonviolent resistance or squaring off at the cops is deployed in the tactical game re. the tarcza, remains to be seen.