G8: Injured imcuk Photographers
Report on Police Repression
by Guy Smallman via imc 1:12pm Tue Jun 3 '03 (Modified on 1:41pm Tue Jun 3 '03)
http://uk.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=70799&group=webcastPOLICE REPRESSION ON SUNDAY by G.S. picture
The demo from Geneva to the border was loud large and peaceful. With the exception of a few people who smashed some windows at a BP station the whole event had passed off without incident. They demo was mostly made up of NGOs, Socialist groups, pacifists and environmentalists.
After a brief party at the border people started to wander back into Geneva. Upon arrival they were greeted by the sight of dozens of German speaking riot police forming lines and cordoning off the junction. They then started pushing people back and then withdrawing their line and starting the process all over again, Some people started trying to reason with them, ask them what the hell they were doing? They just ignored them. This was the most blatant provocation that I have ever seen.
Some senior representatives from the organisations behind the protests asked to speak to the senior officer and were led through the cordon to get an explanation. About 50 yards down the road some people started building a barricade anticipating a police attack. The police then outflanked them, sending in a squad charging in from behind, while the police in front of them did the same. Suddenly the air was filled with concussion grenades.
People began to escape up an open staircase onto an adjacent road. I was nearly at the top of the staircase when a volley of grenades was fired, and i felt something burning on my left leg. Some demonstrators came back and made a tourniquet around my leg to stop the bleeding, and kept me calm until the ambulance arrived. I've had surgery, but dont yet know how bad the long term damage is; i've lost half the feeling in one foot. I've been given enough morphine to sedate all of the Happy Mondays for a month. Big thanks to those who helped me put this report together.
Hopefully back soon