From Genoa … to Brighton!
Linking up, fighting back
I travelled to Genoa for the demonstration on July 21 on a bus from Belgium, rather than on the Globalise Resistance train, because I was then going on to the Fourth International Youth summer camp near Rome with other comrades. This meant that it was unfortunately only possible for us to get to Genoa for the main demonstration on the Saturday.
Before I left Britain I saw the reports of the huge demonstration in support of asylum seekers, for open borders on July 19. This demonstration, which was completely peaceful, was much larger than the organisers predicted. It made me want to get to Genoa even more.
On Friday morning I travelled to Brussels and then left the city around 6pm. Shortly after we left, reports began to come through that two demonstrators were dead – though the information we could get at this time was very patchy. Radio reception was poor and we were not managing to get through to comrades already in Genoa to find out more.
People were obviously very concerned and we began to discuss how we would organise ourselves on the demonstration. We agreed to split into groups of 5 who would decide collectively how to operate when we were in the city.
This was very useful as in a huge demonstration it is virtually impossible to stay together in a large group, but it is also vital when the police are being extremely aggressive that people don’t get left behind.
We also exchanged tips about what to do if you are sprayed with tear gas – and subsequently managed to get some of the lemons that would come in very handy free from the next service station – though I doubt the cashier knew why we wanted them!
We drove through the night, managing to get a little sleep despite the fact the seats were uncomfortable and we were anxious about what would await us in Genoa.
Around 6am we drew near to the Swiss/Italian border. Well I say near, at this point we were probably 50km away, but already in a traffic jam caused by the police checks at the border. It took over an hour to actually get to the frontier.
Eventually we crawled to the check point itself. The bus was stopped and conspicuously armed police boarded. Each bag in the body of the bus was searched and our passports taken from us. At the same time, other officers were rifling through the luggage compartments.
Then we were made to get off the bus and segregated into male and female groups to have a fairly thorough body search. Then we were left to sit in the by now searing heat for some time without being told what was going on.
During all of this, various possessions had been taken from people – a small hammer which was packed with a tent and clearly intended for bashing in tent pegs into dry Italian soil was taken, but so was a full bottle of gin. I am not sure what aggressive purpose this was assumed to serve, but its owners didn’t get it back.
Eventually we were allowed to get back onto the bus and our passports were returned. At around 10am we were able to continue on our way to Genoa, the first hurdle passed.
We were stopped again as we entered the city itself, some hours later. This time things were a little quicker – only the body of the coach was searched and we were not body searched.
When we arrived, just before 2pm which was the scheduled time for the demonstration to start, things were already in full swing.
Given the events of the day before, and the murder of Carlo Gulliano by the police, even more protestors had arrived in the city than had been anticipated. Organisers had hoped for 150,000 but almost twice that many turned up.
The massive contingents of Italian metalworkers, fresh from the strike action they had been involved in over the previous weeks, were very noticeable.
We could taste the tear gas in the air and see that the police were blocking a number of side streets, breaking up the march and causing chaos. Despite that, the atmosphere was extremely festive – it was clear that police violence had not succeeded in intimidating people into going home.
Despite the chaos we managed to find the Fourth International contingent and march together with other comrades from across Europe.
The biggest contingent was from the LCR in France but there was also a significant turn out from the Portuguese PSR as well as comrades from Luxembourg, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Spain and Greece. Unfortunately the police had prevented us linking up with the Italian comrades who were elsewhere as part of the Rifondazione contingent.
The sense of strength which came from so many people assembled reached its greatest heights when around 4 o’clock the story went through the crowd that the summit had ended. Huge cheers echoed across the streets and there was a palpable sense that we were winning this battle against neo-liberal globalisation.
The positive atmosphere was also enhanced by the enormous support the march clearly had from the people of Genoa. It was a baking hot day – and virtually every shop and café in the city was closed as it had been for days previously.
Many people came out on to their balconies as the crowds went past, waving and shouting at the protestors. A significant number hung banners from their homes. I think there was one person I saw during the whole afternoon who was not supportive.
The most tangible piece of solidarity however was eminently practical – people threw down water to the streets below in whatever containers they could lay their hands on.
Hose pipes were probably the most popular and the march became even more chaotic as people tried to ensure they walked under the stream to cool down a little as well as got a mouth full of liquid. Some were lucky enough to even have bottles of mineral water rained on them.
Genoa was another milestone in the development of the anti-globalisation movement, particularly in terms of the weight of the mobilisation from Italy itself.
This strength was further confirmed by the subsequent protests, which took place in protest at Carlo’s death and against police brutality in the days that followed.
There is no doubt that the tactics of police intimidation did not succeed in weakening the determination of the movement to protest against the inequities of global capitalism.
Before Genoa, the world’s "leaders" had already cancelled the Barcelona summit.
They decided that the WTO summit would take place in Qatar to deter us. But the response has been for the ICFTU to call a day of trade union action on November 9 to coincide with Qatar.
In the US the AFL-CIO have called a Global Justice week of action from September 26 to October , which will take action
In defence of immigrants
Against Bush’s Fast Track trade negotiations
For Debt Cancellation
In opposition to the Free Trade Area of the Americas.
In Europe, a key focus will be actions in Brussels in December during the summit to be held at the culmination of the Belgian presidency of the European union.
Internationally, plans are maturing for the second Social Forum to be held in Porto Allegre next year.
All these mobilisations and more will form the international context for the march at Labour Party conference on September 30.
Here in Britain as well as across the world, strengthening the link between fighting neo-liberalism at home and abroad in a key task facing all socialists.